Falling Head over Heels
by silent.tranquility
Summary: Modern-day London. Serena is staying with family friends while studying for her entrance to Oxford. What happens when she discovers that she positively loathes one of the people she has to stay with? How will she handle the situation? Find out by reading!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! This is the prologue for a story I've been developing since 2005, so sorry if it seems a little amateurish. It's definitely different from the usual stories, however. I was sort of inspired by "The Devil Wears Prada" and the idea wouldn't leave my head! Anyway, this is just a tester... I'll post more if I feel the response is good. **

**Disclaimer: (I forgot to add one to my last story... but not this time!): Sailor Moon and the characters do NOT belong to me in any way. They are the sole property of the lovely Naoko Tekuchi. The plot, however, is mine. **

**Enjoy! :D**

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Falling Head over Heels

P r o l o g u e

"Oh, is that the cake, Selena?"

"Yes. I got it ordered specially for Serenity." Came a soft but firm voice. Selena was a slender woman with carefully rounded features, soft brown eyes and long hair that was now silver.

"Now that we're all gathered here, let's call in the birthday girl!" Selena's husband Reagan boomed. As passive as Selena was, Reagan was that much assertive. He had to be. His company wasn't going to run if the leader was a shy, submissive man. He had the breeding of royalty, with a straight, sharp nose, black hair and piercing green eyes. These eyes could look right into a person's soul, burn with fury or mellow with sympathy.

Selena quickly picked her daughter up and set her down on the table.

"Happy Birthday to you..." They all chanted.

Poor Serenity had no clue what was going on. Her three-year-old brain struggled to comprehend why so many people were gathered in her kitchen singing in horrible, screechy voices. Then, however, somebody put a large piece of cake before her and her eyes widened in happiness.

There was soft laughter as Selena watched her daughter proudly. She turned to her friend Lauren and smiled. Lauren knew the joys of having a baby, having two herself.

Darien was the same age as Serenity, but sound asleep on the leather couch. His dark mop of hair fell in a cute mess on his head and his breathing was heavy, but regular.

"Check on the boys." Lauren whispered to her husband, Sebastian. Darien had obviously inherited his father's good looks; his sharp features, deep blue eyes and dark hair.

Sebastian peeked into the spacious living room and smiled when he saw Darien and Nathaniel curled up on the couch, snoring intently. Darien's head rested on Nathaniel's shoulder.

Nathaniel was two years older than Darien and looked a world different from his brother. Nathaniel was a living replica of Lauren. His dark brown curls framed his face and beneath his closed lids were warm, hazel eyes. He had soft features and that made him look absolutely adorable.

What was surprising was the figure beside them. Five-year-old Maya was on Nathaniel's _other_ side, her head also on his shoulder, snoring gently. Her skin was dark and smooth like Reagan's and she had the same sharp green eyes.

"They're both sleeping." Sebastian informed Lauren. Selena smiled when she heard that.

"That's a relief," seven-year-old Tony exclaimed as he leaned against the table. "Those two are absolutely unstoppable when Maya's around!" He paused and said thoughtfully, "I think I'm the only sane one out of all of them… except Serena, of course."

The adults laughed at this statement as Tony looked more confused than ever. Evidently, he failed to see the humour of his statement.

"I think I'll put Serenity to bed as well." Selena said as she scooped her yawning daughter from her chair and carried her upstairs.

She changed Serenity into her pink nightdress and laid her gently in her expansive bed. Throughout the ordeal, Serenity remained silent. She yawned a couple of times, but otherwise she was quiet.

Just as Selena bent down to kiss her, Serenity spoke, "I had fun today, Mama."

"That's good!" Selena smiled.

"I like Nathaniel." Serenity said thoughtfully.

"Oh? And what of Darien?" Selena asked in surprise.

Serenity made a face, "He was too bossy."

"Well you know what?" Selena said.

Serenity looked at her mother.

"They're leaving tomorrow." Selena said grimly.

"Where?" Serenity cried.

"Far away." Selena told her, "You might not see them again."

Serena looked at her mother apprehensively, "You know what?" she said softly, "Darien wasn't that bad..."

"That's good to hear, Serenity. That's very good to hear."

The small girl closed her eyes as her mother kissed her gently on the forehead again before turning out the lights. She was asleep as soon as her head relaxed against the pillow, dreaming of Maya, Tony, Nathaniel and Darien and the fun she had had with them.

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**Yes? No? Maybe? Leave a message telling me what you thought! I can take criticism. Thanks for reading :D**


	2. Chapter 2

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Hey! Here is chapter two! It may seem a tad boring at the moment, but there are some things that need to be established before we can proceed any further.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, or the characters. Blah, blah, blah. You know the drill. **

**Enjoy! :D**

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**Falling Head over Heels**

**Chapter 2**

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The figure beneath the crumpled blue bed sheets remained unmoving.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Still no response although a hand twitched and there was a small groan.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Oh, shut up..." came a sleepy voice. The covers slowly came off to reveal a tall and slender girl of eighteen. She fumbled around for the alarm clock and smacked it when her hand found it.

Immediately the beeping stopped.

The door flung open and the blinds were pulled back, allowing a stream of light to come pouring through.

"GAH!" came a yell.

"Serena! Wake up already!" came an exasperated voice.

Serena's eyes opened immediately and she saw her hand maid standing near her bed, wringing her hands desperately.

"What is it, Amanda?" Serena asked quickly. Amanda was like a best friend to the young girl.

"Your mother's been calling you for the past fifteen minutes. Your flight leaves in an hour. You're terribly late!" Amanda said in a worried tone. Despite being a considerable number of years older than Serena, the two were really close friends.

Serena enjoyed listening to Amanda's British accent. It sounded so sophisticated and nice. All she had was a plain old North American accent. Many a time had she been caught practising a fake British accent in the bathroom.

"Okay, I'm up." Serena said finally. She straightened out her pajamas and her top. Then she bent over and made her bed with Amanda. She never listened to Amanda's numerous lectures on how she was the mistress and Amanda was the servant.

"Now, I've arranged for your clothes. You need to get into the bathroom and take a bath..."

But Serena was already in the bathroom.

She emerged fifteen minutes later clad in her under clothes and towel wrapped on top.

She quickly donned the faded blue jeans and a pink top. She brushed out her shoulder length brown hair and clipped her bangs back. Her hair was really blonde, but she had been allowed to dye it for her eighteenth birthday which had been five days ago.

She quickly applied some mascara, eye-liner and lip gloss and she was ready to go.

"Amanda, could you please tell Ronald to bring the suitcases down, would you?" Serena said on her way down the stairs.

"Of course, Serena! Did you think I was going to throw them down?" Amanda rolled her eyes and went to fetch Ronald, one of the butlers.

Serena smiled at Amanda's sarcastic reply. She reached the gilded double doors leading to the patio and saw her parents enjoying their morning tea.

"Where have you been, Serenity?" Selena demanded.

Serena winced inwardly at the mention of her full name. Only her parents ever called her that. Correction: only her mother ever called her that.

"I've been getting ready, Ma." She said as she poured herself some orange juice.

"Your flight leaves in two hours." Selena said impatiently.

"So?"

"So? SO?" Selena said loudly in disbelief, "It takes an hour to get to the airport."

"And it takes thirty minutes to get through customs, Ma." Serena said levelly. Her mother had been urging her to take their private jet, but Serena had refused flatly. She was rich, but not a spoiled brat. In any case, it would be a complete waste of fuel.

"That does leave half an hour for magazines and what not." Reagan said grinning at Serena. She smiled back at her father.

"Oh, do be quiet, Reagan." Selena said waspishly.

Serena glanced at her watch and quickly drained the rest of her juice, "I'm going to run. I've got a plane to catch." She winked at her father as she got up.

"Bye, Ma." Serena said as she hugged her mother. Selena hugged back with all her heart, all anger forgotten.

"Take care, Serenity. Do take care. Behave yourself. Be polite to everyone and remember...study." Selena warned her daughter.

"I will, Ma." Serena said slightly impatiently. She turned to her father and hugged him tightly. She turned to go but stopped at a great sniff. She faced her parents to see Selena sobbing onto Reagan's shoulder.

"Oh, Ma..." Serena began but stopped when she saw Reagan's hand waving her away. She nodded and turned away, tears stinging her eyes. But she knew what she wanted and that could only be achieved when she was in England.

"Okay, ma'am, step through the barrier and proceed." Said the stern security guard. Serena smiled and obliged, walking through the connecting corridor. Getting through customs had been a nightmare, as per usual.

At the end stood two, slim air hostesses with smiles plastered on their faces.

"Hello and welcome to British Airways." They said together in pleasant voices.

Serena often wondered whether they practised that way or whether it happened simply by chance. She smiled as she passed them and mmediately went to the area behind the curtain to the First Class compartment.

There were only five people in that area, including her.

Right in front were an elderly couple talking in low tones. Behind them sat a young, beautiful lady. She wore a black, knee-length skirt and a matching velvet jacket with gold trimming and buttons. On her feet were amazing Jimmy Choo stilettos. Serena knew all this because she herself owned the same pair of shoes except they were red.

Directly opposite her, to her left, sat a short man with blonde hair.

Serena settled herself down wishing she had worn something better. Something about the lady in the stilettos made her feel inadequately dressed.

_Still_, she thought twenty minutes later after the plane took off, _I would have jazzed the whole outfit up with shocking red stilettos._

The journey to Great Britain was only six hours, but it felt like an eternity to Serena. She took turns watching TV, sleeping, listening to music, sleeping, looking out the window, sleeping...

When the voice-over finally came telling them to fasten their seat belts, Serena grinned happily.

She was going to take an exam at Oxford University. If she passed, she'd be able to take the courses and get a degree in Neurosurgery.

Right now, she was going to live with some old friends of her parents. If all went well, she'd live with them for the end of the summer and complete her four years of university (while living on her own, of course) and then return home to North America.

Thirty minutes later, she walked out of customs looking for somebody to pick her up. She imagined looking through crowds of people for a weedy man with long hair and a dark suit holding up a placard with her name on it. Imagine her surprise when a tall, handsome guy bedecked in designer clothes walked up to her and said:

"Serena, right?"

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**Is it Darien? Or some unknown stranger? **

**Oooooh the suspense should be killing you right now! **

**Yes? No? Maybe? Let me know with a review! I'll greatly appreciate it. And I'll update sooner... :D**

**Thanks for reading. Cheers. **


	3. Chapter 3

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Hey! Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed!! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this story. Here's the next chapter.

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Sailor Moon franchise or anything else affiliated with it that is legally owned by persons other than myself. **

**Fancy, eh? ENJOY!**

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Falling Head over Heels

**Chapter 3**

"Serena, right?"

"Um, yeah, that's me."

"Great, let's go."

Serena studied him in the few seconds he was before her. He had dark brown hair that fell into warm hazel eyes. He wore such a large smile, that you couldn't help beaming along with him.

"Let's get your stuff in the car and then you can relax." He said quickly and she helped him wheel the four bags and two trolleys out of the airport into the parking lot.

She followed him to a large black Toyota Rav4. It was polished and looked sleek and sophisticated. She had expected him to have a silver Mustang or a red Ferrari.

They dumped the suitcases into the boot and then got into the car. That was when Serena decided it was a good time to ask this person who he was.

"Um, I don't mean to be rude, or anything, but– but you _are_ Nathaniel, right?"

The boy blinked before saying "My goodness, I'm so sorry for not introducing myself earlier. You're right, I am Nathaniel – although only my mother ever calls me that."

"What do other people call you?"

"Nathan will suffice." He said, grinning, as he walked to the driver's seat. He started in surprise when he noticed Serena following him. "Erm, do you want to drive?" He asked uncertainly.

Serena looked at him blankly, "No."

"Then the passenger seat's on the other side." Nathan said, pointing.

"Right." Serena responded quickly trying to act casual, but she couldn't quite hide the faint pinkness about her cheeks. _Of course the passenger seat was on the other side– she was no longer in North America!_

She opened the door and sat down, strapping herself in. The car's interior was all beige leather and wood finish. The glossy stereo reflected the light into Serena's eyes.

_Impressive._ She thought.

"How was your flight?" Nathan asked as he drove out of the parking lot. They joined a line of cars waiting to get through a ticket stall.

"It was all right– rather boring, though."

"Yeah, those long flights can get really tedious." Nathan said, nodding. He reached the booth and handed over some money. He shook his head disgustedly at the change he got back, "Bloody robbers!'

"Ah..."

A short silence ensued.

"You look different from what I remember of you. And from the picture." He stated.

"Picture?"

"I had to recognize you somehow, didn't I?" He snorted, "Didn't know your hair was actually brown."

"It isn't." Serena replied automatically, "It's blonde. I prefer brown."

"It's nice. It looks very pretty on you." He said simply.

Serena looked at his profile: The sharp nose, the long lashes and smiled. Then she looked away before he could catch her.

"You're studying to become a Neurosurgeon?" He asked.

Serena nodded, "that's why I'm here. To take the entrance exam to Oxford."

"Why not Harvard or Carlton or Queens?"

Serena shrugged again, "It didn't have the same... pull, you could say."

"Oh."

"What are you doing right now?"

"I'm a student at Oxford." He replied casually.

Serena was taken aback, "You got in?"

"I passed." He replied frankly. Serena thought she heard a slight hesitation in his voice, like he wanted to say something else, but had refrained from doing so.

"What are you studying?"

"Medicine." He replied.

This surprised her even more, "Really? What field?"

"General Practitioner." He answered, "London is _terribly_ short on them."

"Whoa... could you give me a few tips, then?" Serena asked, awed.

Nathaniel looked at her hard for a few minutes and then said finally, "You'll have to earn them."

"What do you mean?" She asked quickly.

"If you turn out to be a flak then I'm not going to. If you pass your exam, I might help you."

"Yes, Mother." Serena made a face, "I'm hoping I can finish the exam... every time I think of it I get so nervous!"

"I remember I was like that." Nathan said fondly, "And after the exam I nearly sighed in relief. It hadn't been as hard as I thought."

Serena laughed, "And Darien? He's your brother... does he share the brains?"

This time Nathan laughed, but it was a humourless one, "Darien and study? You might as well start wishing pigs could fly."

"Um..."

"See, he's got brains. God knows, he's been passing all these years without studying, but now that he's out of high school, he doesn't feel the need to do anything. He just thinks he's going to be able to live in wealth and luxury for the rest of his life– which is probably true." Nathaniel said, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Serena remained silent.

"Oh, look at me babbling." Nathan laughed, "Forget what I just said. Darien's a good kid even if he is a little childish."

Serena smiled, "Everyone deserves to preserve some part of their inner child."

Nathan grinned as well, "I suppose you're right." He steered the car into a long driveway and Serena gaped at the size of the house before her. It was enormous!

He pulled the car to a stop and nearly immediately a butler came hurrying forward taking the keys and driving off.

"Efficient." Serena commented.

"Scared, more like," Nathan corrected, "Of Mum's incredible wrath!"

Serena laughed, "My mother's like that too. Shall we go in?"

"What? Oh, right... right...this way..."

She followed him up a hill to the massive house. Indeed it looked more like a castle than a house. All around it were large, sloping hills and plains. It was truly beautiful.

"Impressive, no?" Nathan said.

"Very."

They made their way inside past the many bowing butlers and curtsying maids. Finally they came to a long hallway that ended in gilded double doors. Beyond these doors was a spacious room adorned with pictures, portraits, sofas, couches, alabaster jars, pillars, busts of various people, statues, tables and all. But all this was done with class and sophistication.

"Mum?" Nathan's voice rang out. Serena winced at the noise.

"Nathaniel? Oh, come here...let me welcome her!" Came a strong clear voice.

Nathan steered Serena over to where is mother sat. She was dressed very elegantly in a dress and a string of pearls.

"Ooh! Serenity!" She squealed when she saw the brunette.

"Please, Ms. Williams, call me Serena." She smiled and sat down beside the lady. She must have been in her late forties, yet she looked strong and energetic with lots of cheer.

She poured a cup of tea for herself and Nathan and looked at Serena questioningly.

"Oh, I'll have an Earl Gray with a drop of lemon, please." Serena said hastily, remembering what her mother had told her a few days before leaving for England.

Ms Williams smiled approvingly, "They've taught you well."

"Thank you, ma'am. My mother's very strict on protocol," Serena said, accepting the steaming cup graciously. She neglected to mention that her mother had forced her to go through an entire list of 'protocol' – things that were expected of her in England.

"You're a spitting image of your mother, especially your eyes." Ms Williams said, smiling broadly.

Serena put her cup down rather self consciously. It was common knowledge she had inherited her mother's soft, rounded, features down to her sparkling azure eyes.

"How's Tony?"

Tony was Serena's brother, older by four years. He was in Florida, taking care of her father's business. He was married and had a young daughter, Adele. He looked a mixture of Selena and Reagan.

"He's in Florida right now, for business. Otherwise he's fine. He visits often."

"How's Maya?" Ms Williams asked.

Serena nearly choked on her tea, but kept it down. It had been quite a while since she had thought of her older sister. She was away at Harvard, but had done something terrible to incur the rage and fury of her mother. Since then she had been cut off from her family, although Reagan did send her money regularly.

Serena didn't really understand it, having never been told, but she wished her sister were with her. The one time she had asked, her mother had gotten furious and refused to talk to her for over a week. Serena stopped asking after that. Maya was her true best friend and understood Serena more completely than even Selena had. Serena often corresponded with her sister via e-mail but lately it had dwindled due to the fact that Maya had exams to write and was busy studying for them.

"She's erm... okay," Serena said finally.

Ms Williams smiled ruefully, "Selena still giving her a hard time?"

Serena thought it pointless to pretend she didn't know, so she bowed her head and nodded "Yeah."

"I can't imagine why. That girl's head is screwed on her shoulders as solid as this house is standing." Ms Williams said, "Maya knows what she's doing. So I don't understand why Selena's being so stubborn about all this. If Maya had been my daughter I'd have been very proud of her. Do you talk to her?"

"Yes. I've talked to her often." Serena managed to say.

"How old would she be now?"

"Twenty." Serena answered, "In her second year at Harvard."

"Hmm... Nathaniel's age, then?"

"Yes, I suppose she would be." Serena replied. She felt a little uncomfortable talking about her sister. Perhaps Nathan sensed this because he veered the conversation away.

"Are you going somewhere, Mum?"

"Yes, dear. I need to go. Your father's called me to an important meeting in Kuala Lampur. We'll be away for two or three days. Not more." She smiled, "It wouldn't be fair to Serena. She is new here, after all."

Nathan asked, "Where's Darien and when's he coming back?"

Serena noted he didn't ask how he was.

"He's gone to a friend's birthday in South Korea. He'll be back tomorrow, probably." She became stern, "Now don't give him a hard time. He's just finished his exams. He deserves a break."

"Sure, poor, poor overworked Darien." Nathan muttered.

"Now, when is your exam, dear?" Ms Williams asked Serena. Serena noted she had ignored Nathan's remark.

"It's in three weeks. I also need to register and talk to one of the professors. Apparently my mother knows him."

"Would you be terribly against taking a day off studying?" Nathan asked.

"It depends." Serena replied, "When?"

"Today?"

"Yeah. I can start studying tomorrow."

"Okay, then, we're going to the carnival." He grinned.

"Oh, dear!" Ms Williams said, "I was hoping you'd go with Darien..."

"He's not a baby, Mum. He can go whenever he wants. Besides, he's in Korea." Nathan said angrily.

"Oh, fine. Remember to be back-"

"Before midnight, I know, Mum." Nathan rolled his eyes. Serena smiled. Ms Williams was a lot like her own mother.

"Now, I'm leaving. Be good to Serena, show her around and remember, no drinking!"

Nathaniel blanched but quickly recovered, "Mum, why would I expose Serena to that nonsense?"

Ms Williams got up and arranged her pearl necklace so that the pendant fell directly in the hollow of her throat.

"Cadbury!" She called imperiously.

The portly butler came hurrying in and escorted her from the room.

Serena looked around awkwardly, "I need to get my bags upstairs." She said finally.

"Oh! Yeah... c'mon, I'll call Dithers." Nathan said quickly.

"Oh, no! I can carry it myself, it's only a small bag. I was actually wondering where my room is."

"I'll show you."

He got up gracefully and helped Serena up too. Then he led her up a flight of stairs and down a corridor.

Serena tried to remember the corridors: _Right... left... left... straight... right..._

But it was not so easy. Finally, they reached an oak door with a carved handle. Nathan opened it and led Serena into the room.

It was a guest room decorated in red and gold with dark wood furniture. Even the covers on the four poster bed were red, white and gold. Gilded frames hung around the room with abstract canvases encased in them.

"Thank you. It's beautiful." Serena said gratefully, "Err... when are we going to the carnival?"

"In about an hour? It's already 7:30 p.m. We should be there by 9:30, latest." Nathan said.

"Oh my gosh! Is it that late already?" Serena asked anxiously.

"Why? Do you need more time to get dressed?"

"No, I... could we come home a bit early? I have a dozen things to do tomorrow." Serena pleaded.

"Sure. How about 10:30?"

Serena nodded, "It's a deal."

"Good, I'll meet you in the foyer downstairs in half an hour."

"Um... Nathan?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should meet me up here..."

"Why?" Nathan asked. Serena looked away sheepishly.

"I can't remember my way down."

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"...And then... she says... she... says..."

"W-what?" Serena asked, laughing so hard, her ribs hurt.

"She says... 'I'll give you something to harp about'... and... and..." Nathan said between fits of laughter, "She... she stuck... her fountain pen... up his... n-nose..."

Serena laughed even harder at that, "No, seriously?"

Nathan nodded. Serena giggled, tears streaming down her face helplessly. Finally, the laughter dissipated and they returned to normal.

"That was the funniest story I've ever heard!" Serena gasped. She flopped down on the couch to control her breathing and then closed her eyes.

"It was all over to newspapers. Of course she was then fired. But she said she didn't mind. She had gotten to accomplish what many others had been dying to do." Nathan said, picking a spot on the couch idly.

There was silence. They could hear the crickets in the garden croaking happily.

Serena opened her eyes and got up, "It's really... lonely... isn't it?"

Nathan looked up and stared at her, hard.

"No, I mean... such a big house and only very few people here." Serena explained.

Nathan considered her words, "It might be today and the next few days, but when Darien comes back, loneliness is going to be the last thing on your mind. He brings some more friends in everyday. They usually listen to music in the living room... that drives Mum batty, by the way, and then they yell themselves hoarse."

"Hmm... that won't sit well with my studies..." Serena mused.

Comprehension dawned, "Oh yeah! I'll tell Darien to keep it down."

Serena smiled, "Thanks. And I'd better be going now, we've talked for nearly an hour."

For indeed, the clock said 11:25 p.m.

"So much for getting back at 10:30." Serena said guiltily.

Nathan got up, "Want me to show you your room again?"

Serena grinned sheepishly, "Thanks."

They walked together to her room and he dropped her off at the doorway.

"I'll remember now. Thank you."

"No problem. Remember, if you have any trouble at all; press one of the numbers on that phone. It's got a list beside it. I'm number 7." He said with mock pride.

Serena walked over to the odd looking phone and picked it up. There was a loud dial tone that showed it worked.

"Does it page you or something?"

"In a way, yes. It actually sends an alarm that buzzes all over the room to ensure the person wakes up."

"Oh my gosh. I don't think I'd want to inflict that upon anyone." Serena said, still staring at the phone.

Nathan laughed, "Oh, don't worry. It doesn't actually do that. It just sounds like a phone."

Serena giggled, "Right. I'll try it out some day."

"Well, good night. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Nathan winked at her.

Serena smiled warmly, "Good night, Nathan. Thank you for taking me to the carnival. I had lots of fun."

"My pleasure." Nathan said and then shut the door.

Serena looked around the room and then noticed it was very stuffy. She walked over to the large French style windows and opened them. The light red and gold curtains flew in on the breeze, fanning out gently. Then she changed into her pyjamas and fell into bed, utterly exhausted.

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**Yes? No? Maybe? Leave a review, please! It only takes a couple of seconds! :D**

**Thanks for reading. Adios, amigos.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! Thanks, once again, to ALL the people who reviewed!! It made me so happy!! :D To reward you, here's chapter four.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or the characters. Just the plot. Also, the excerpt about breathing techniques was taken from the book The Floppy Sleep Game Book by Patti Teel.**

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**Falling Head Over Heels**

**Chapter 4**

"How was your night?" Nathan asked the next morning, slipping into a seat opposite Serena. Serena looked up from her buttered toast and orange juice and newspaper.

"Good."

"Are you studying today or do you want me to drive you to meet that professor you were talking about?" Nathan asked, "I can take you. I'm free today."

Serena glanced at him, "Sure, but can I drive? I want to get used to a right–hand drive. My North American license works here for a month, right?"

Nathan smiled, "Yes, I believe it does. When you're ready, we'll go down to the garage and choose a car."

Serena was taken aback, "Uh... any car?"

"Any car."

"What if it-"

"Just choose one, Serena!"

"If you say so."

There was a loud beeping noise and Nathan quickly answered his cell phone.

"Hello?... Oh, hey... no, we said next week... really?... he did?... well... I'm a bit busy... I know... okay... and- what?... _now_?... sure. We need to... yeah, okay, I'll come over...yeah, bye."

Nathan looked up at Serena slightly guiltily. He opened his mouth, but Serena, who had followed the conversation, waved her hand.

"Go, I'll be fine!"

"But... what?"

"I'm not stupid. I can put two and two together. Go." Serena said dismissively.

"Are you sure? You need to see the professor and you need to register!" Nathan said anxiously.

"Seriously, I'll be fine. I'll call you if I need any help. That's okay, right?"

"Of course, but..."

"Are you going or do you want me to push you out the door?" Serena said in a mock threatening manner.

"Fine, I'll go. But if Mum calls, I'm taking the liberty to blame it all on you." Nathan warned.

"I'll live." Serena answered grimly.

"Okay, bye. See you later. I'll be home by lunch, okay?" Nathan called as he walked out the door.

Serena nodded to show she had heard and went about perusing the newspaper.

Fifteen minutes later, five outfits lay on her bed, in neat order. She was trying to decide what to wear. After much deliberation, she finally chose an outfit and gathered all the necessary papers for registration.

Before leaving, she took her empty plate and went to the kitchen where she saw a kitchen maid, Toulouse washing the dishes. She was petite thing with a loud mouth and was hilariously funny.

"Lou, I'm going out to the university. So, if I get any calls, just tell them. Oh, and Nathan's gone to a friend's house."

"Yes, Serena."

Serena was adamant that all the workers call her by her name instead of Ma'am or miss.

She walked out onto the beautifully landscaped lawn and noticed Dithers pruning the hedges.

"Dithers!"

"Yes, Miss Serena?" He turned. He was the only one who called her Miss Serena.

"Dithers, it's _just_ Serena." She corrected.

"All right, Miss Serena."

"Gah, all right. You win!" She knew a hopeless case when she saw one.

"Very good, Miss Serena."

"Could you show me where the garage is, please?"

"Certainly, Miss Serena."

He began walking, with Serena lagging behind, wondering which car she would drive. Finally, he came to a large expanse of wall. In the centre of it, looking most out of place, was a small iron door. He opened it and flicked on the lights.

Serena's jaw fell open.

There had to be at _least_ fifty cars in there. Names like: Porsche... Rolls Royce... Jaguar... Mercedes... AUDI... and BMW jumped out at her.

"Is this satisfactory?"

"S-s-satisfactory?" Serena stammered, "It's flippin' awesome!"

"Which car would you like?" Dithers asked patiently.

Serena walked along the line of cars, running a hand over the smooth polish. They were all too big and flaunty. She wanted something small and fast, but smart.

And she came to the perfect solution.

Smart Car!

"I'll take the Smart Car." Serena said.

Dithers rummaged around in the back of the room and presented Serena with a small key and automatic lock attached to the chain.

"Thanks, Dithers." And she opened the door and shut it quickly. Before her, the large garage door opened upwards, letting in a blast of sunlight. Serena squinted and made sure she had her North American license with her.

Then she accelerated out of the garage.

* * *

All in all, it hadn't been a bad morning. She had reached home before lunchtime and decided to get some studying in. Serena looked at the clock and yawned in disgust. It said 12:30 p.m. She had only been studying for thirty minutes and she already had a headache.

She turned back to her book, gasping at the glare from the sun onto the pages. She squinted, wishing she were wearing sunglasses.

_"Breathing techniques are very important for inducing relaxation. It is particularly beneficial as it helps to avoid panic, aggression, meltdowns or tantrums. There are two techniques that can be practiced daily: diaphragmatic breathing and "elevator" breathing. Combined, these techniques can greatly reduce…" _

Serena closed her burning eyes and tried to soothe them by leaving them closed. She sighed and opened them again, rubbing them slightly. Her neck and back burned from the sun, but she was too lazy to move. Besides, every room she went to had pretty much the same effect on her. She tied up her hair in a messy bun and tried to continue reading, but just couldn't keep her eyes open.

_It won't hurt if I sleep for just half an hour. _Serena thought reasonably, _After all, I am very tired. I'm sure I can make it up tonight._

She had no sooner closed her eyes when she heard a door slam and the telltale thud of footsteps on the floor.

Serena tensed, unsure of whether she was in danger. But then she realized it was probably Nathan and she relaxed, closing her eyes again.

"I'm home!"

_Strange, _Serena thought, _Nathan sounds different…but it's probably just the sleepiness that's affected me._

Indeed the heat was making her ears close. She had to keep popping them.

So she called back, "I'm in the living room!"

Her reply met a seemingly confused silence and she opened her eyes when she heard the footsteps stop. She stretched lazily and looked over to welcome Nathan.

What a shock she got.

* * *

**Well, I wonder what the shock could be... Okay, _I_ know, but you will find out in the next chapter! :D**

**Thanks for reading! Remember to leave a review! Au revoir, mes amis.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey! As usual, thanks to ALL who reviewed - it means a lot to me!! **

**Now, onto the chapter. This is one of my favourite and most hated scenes in the story. I loved the idea behind it, but it was pure torture trying to write it adequately. I hope you guys like it! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or the characters.**

**Enjoy :D**

* * *

**Falling Head over Heels**

**Chapter 5**

She stretched lazily and looked over to welcome Nathan.

Except it wasn't him.

In a trice, she was on her feet, wondering who on Earth the person standing before her could be.

The stranger was tall, nearly as tall as Nathan, but looked nothing like him. He had straight, shaggy black hair that fell into his deep blue eyes. His finely chiselled features gave him a slightly arrogant look; a look that clearly said he got whatever he wanted.

Serena and the stranger stared at each other. He did nothing to hide the obvious surprise on his face. Even as she watched him, his expression changed from one of surprise to understanding. Shaking his head, he made his way toward her.

Serena was indisposed to allowing him to advance, but he showed no open signs of hostility so she remained rooted to her spot instead of moving back a few paces.

"I should have known…" He muttered. Finally, he flung himself into an armchair and glanced at her, "Have a seat."

Serena remained standing. She could only assume he was a member of the family or he visited frequently enough to come in unannounced.

"Where are you from?" he asked, facing her.

It struck Serena as odd. Shouldn't he ask her _who_ she was, instead of where she was from? But she answered, nevertheless.

He began shaking.

She took a step forward in alarm, thinking he was having a seizure or something. Passages on the topic from her textbooks flooded her mind. Upon closer inspection, however, she realized he was laughing. This confused her more than ever. _What is he laughing at?_

"Really… he's outdone himself, even." The stranger was saying.

Serena didn't even try to comprehend the meaning of that. Suddenly, he got up and walked over to her, sighing wearily, "Well, let's get this over with."

Serena hadn't a clue what was happening. She opened her mouth to question him but never quite got the question out. She was momentarily stymied when she felt his lips on hers.

Her first reaction was to yell out, or push him away, but she was too stunned to do so. Her mind went blank, refusing to see reason and step back and away from the madness.

Finally, she felt her senses return and with it, an indescribable anger when she realized her shirt was halfway up her torso. With a surprising amount of agility, she stepped back from him. In a split second, his eyes became clouded with confusion and then pain as she slapped him.

Hard.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He didn't flinch or even move, but his eyes cleared and he looked at her in anger.

"What type _are_ you?" He spat.

Serena pulled her shirt down quickly and felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment when she realized she had allowed a complete stranger to kiss her… and kind of liked it.

Finally, she found her voice.

"What do you mean by '_what type'_?" She demanded, her voice going up several notches.

"I mean, who _does_ that when they clearly _came_ for it." He said, furious.

Serena's hands were balled into fists and she could feel her anger and resentment rising, "I didn't clearly _come for it_! I didn't come here for _anything_!"

"Then who-"

"Serena?"

The brunette nearly sighed in relief, "I'm in the living room, Nathan," she called back as she had done earlier.

As she continued to glare at the person before her, Nathan entered the room, humming tunelessly. He looked up and froze. The stranger turned and smiled.

"Hey, Nathan, what's up?"

"What are you doing here?" Nathan asked in surprise. He walked toward them and glanced curiously at Serena who was still furious. And she made no attempt to conceal it.

"I came back early." The person replied almost lazily. He sat down in the same armchair he had occupied earlier and suddenly noticed Serena's hostile stare.

"Who is he?" Serena asked the same time the stranger demanded, "Who is she?"

Nathan looked from one to the other in amazement. Then his manners returned, "Oh! I'm sorry! Serena, this is Darien, my brother. And Darien, this is Serena. She's from-"

"North America. Yes, I know." Darien interrupted, his eyes still on Serena.

"Oh, well… She's here to take an entrance exam to Oxford." Nathan finished.

If Serena expected some sort of apology, she was certainly wrong. Darien merely smiled and inclined his head, giving no acknowledgment to what had happened earlier. Serena opened her mouth to protest. Perhaps Darien sensed it, for he started talking at once.

"Want to go to Poison today?"

_That jerk's trying to change the subject!_ Serena thought angrily.

Nathan looked around in surprise, "Poison? Why?"

Darien shrugged and then looked at Serena, "Show her around?"

Nathan shook his head, "No, Darien, there's a whole lot of drinking there. And besides, Serena has to study, right?"

Serena nodded, realizing they were talking about a bar "I'll have to decline that offer, as er, _wonderful_ as it sounds. I take my studies seriously, unlike _some_ people."

She looked at Darien pointedly; a gesture that didn't pass unnoticed. It occurred to Serena that it might be unfair taunting Darien when she was basing his personality on what Nathan had told her. But she dismissed the thought from her mind quickly when she noticed his glower. Darien's eyes narrowed when he heard her words, but betrayed none of the irritation he was feeling. _What had Nathan been telling her about him?_

Nathan stepped in, "Why don't you just go, Darien?"

_Yeah, and look like a complete idiot at the same time_, he thought bitterly. He might have agreed, had she not made that flippant remark earlier. His ego was too large to allow her to back out.

Darien simply shrugged in response to Nathan's suggestion and glanced at Serena, "I'll meet you in the foyer at 9 p.m."

"I told you, I'm not going." Serena said through clenched teeth.

"Why not?" Darien asked looking puzzled.

Serena's eyes narrowed dangerously and her face tightened with anger, "I try not to affiliate myself with arrogant _prats_ who don't _get it_ when a person says 'no'!"

That said, she stormed back upstairs to her room. She slammed her door and sat on her bed, fuming.

A few minutes later, there was a light knock on her door. Knowing it could only be Darien or Nathan, Serena remained quiet, hoping the intruder would take the hint.

The door opened anyway and Serena looked up.

Darien.

"What do you want?" She snarled, "Come to finish what you started earlier?"

He didn't say anything, just remained leaning in the doorway, regarding her coolly. At her words, however, a slow smile crept up his face.

"If I do, I can truly say you invited me to do so."

Serena turned away in disgust and picked up a book from her bedside table. She kept her eyes down and turned the pages, studiously ignoring him.

"You know, to read, one has to hold the book the right way up." Darien said. Serena looked up to see him crouched before her. He took the book out of her hands and studied it.

"Neurosurgery?" He asked, one eyebrow arched.

Serena remained silent, looking in the other direction.

Darien ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "Look, it was a _mistake_."

Serena gave a humourless laugh, "Some mistake: coming into a home and kissing the first girl you see." She looked away so that he wouldn't see the faint blush on her cheeks.

He sighed and sat beside her on the bed, "It was a mistake." He repeated.

Serena's head snapped up and she faced him, "What gave you the impression that I was there to… to…" She looked away, uncomfortably, "You know…"

Darien couldn't help but grin at her obvious discomfort but became serious upon seeing her expression, "Let's just blame it on past experiences. All I'm saying is: it was a mistake."

"That's all?" Serena said frostily.

Darien seemed to realize her meaning, "Ah, no! I came to say…" He rubbed the back of his neck and then took a deep breath before continuing.

"I'm sorry. I… I didn't do it purposely." Darien said, trying to remember what else Nathan had told him to say in order to placate Serena. He hadn't told Nathan about the kiss– just that he had said something to upset her. "I'm sorry if I came across as a conceited moron; I really misunderstood the situation." He paused for a few seconds and then continued, "Do you want to start again?"

Serena avoided his eyes and remained still, her mind racing. Starting over would mean forgiving him and she didn't think she was ready to do that just yet. But that didn't mean she had to be outwardly hostile towards him; just being cordial would do.

Still, he held out a hand for her to shake and said, "Hi, I'm Darien."

She stared at his hand for a few seconds and finally took it, marvelling at how small hers seemed in comparison. She looked up and saw a flicker of something in his eyes, but couldn't place it. In a trice, they were back to the cool blue that betrayed no expression or emotion.

"Serena," She offered, suddenly and inexplicably shy. "I'm here for–"

"Exams?" He grinned.

Serena nodded and noted that their hands were still clasped together. She quickly pulled her hand away.

"You're going to be a neurosurgeon?"

"Hopefully," Serena admitted.

"Then I won't intrude upon your time any longer. Contrary to popular belief, I _do _know the importance of education." He said mildly and then added, "But you _will_ come to Poison tonight, right?"

Serena's eyes clouded, "I don't know… if there's drinking…"

"Oh, don't believe everything Nathan says. If he had his way, he'd shut himself up in his room and stay there. He's paranoid about safety and stuff." Darien laughed.

"Yeah…but…"

"Can't you take a break from it? You're exam is in three weeks, Nathan said. So why are you worrying?" Darien asked, "As a famous poet once said: 'he who suffers before it is necessary suffers more than is necessary'. Please?" He added, seeing that she wasn't quite convinced.

Serena tried to think of all the pros and cons but couldn't manage it. In the end, she just nodded to simplify things.

Darien beamed, "Great! I'll pick you up at 9, okay?"

Serena nodded again. When Darien closed the door, she sank back down on the bed, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

**Yes? No? Maybe?  
****Leave a review and tell me :**

**Thanks for reading. Auf, wiedersehen.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, all! Thanks for the lovely reviews. They made me feel all warm and fuzzy :) Sorry for the delay in updating, but I was on vacation. Here's the new chapter, though, so ENJOY!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. **

* * *

**Falling Head over Heels**

**Chapter 6**

At 7 pm that evening, Serena shut down her laptop, saving her notes on it. She carefully book-marked all the necessary pages in her text books and put them aside. Then she got up and took a refreshing shower and came out, wrapped in a towel. She opened her closet and surveyed her clothes.

Choosing an outfit was agonizingly frustrating. She wanted to look sexy and cool yet sophisticated. She went through multiple outfits before finally settling on one that she thought fit all categories. She pulled her hair back into a sleek ponytail, careful to pin back her bangs as well.

After she was done, she glanced at the clock. It said 8:56.

Should she go down?

Serena was unsure as to what to do. He _said_ he'd pick her up… did he mean downstairs or upstairs? She began pacing the room when there was a knock on the door.

She went and opened it and saw Darien standing there. He wore a simple outfit of a polo shirt and jeans, yet he looked incredibly handsome. Even Serena, who was a little apprehensive about him, couldn't help but taking in a sharp breath when she saw him. Her efforts had not gone unnoticed either. He stood there, nearly gaping at her for a few seconds before standing back and giving her space to exit her room.

He leaned in close and whispered into her ear, "You look amazing."

"Um, t–thanks," She stammered, unsure of how to respond. He grinned at her response, but said nothing. Serena was getting more confused by the second – wasn't she supposed to well, _not_ like him? So why was she behaving like a shy schoolgirl in front of Darien?

'_Get a grip on yourself, Serena!_' She scolded herself. When they reached downstairs, they saw Nathan stretched out on a couch, reading a book.

"Leaving so soon? You'll look like geeks." He teased.

"Nah, we'll be fashionably early." Darien grinned.

"Aren't you coming?" Serena asked, partly surprised and partly disappointed. Nathan had agreed earlier on. Besides, she felt more comfortable around him.

"No, Catherine called to ask if she could come over." Nathan smiled. He seemed not to notice her discomfort. Or perhaps he was ignoring it…

"She's his girlfriend." Darien explained, smirking at his brother.

"She's not my girlfriend, Darien." Nathan said sternly.

"Oh, sorry, I mean she is his _close_ friend." Darien corrected himself hastily, although his tone suggested he thought something else.

"Oh." She managed to say.

"Well, we'll be going now."

"Right. And remember! Don't be out too late!" Nathan called.

"Yes, mother." Darien yelled back.

Serena smiled. After everything Nathan said, it was obvious he still loved Darien a lot.

"How do you walk in those?" Darien asked her, glancing at her shoes once they were outside.

Serena looked down at her black patent leather peep–toe shoes with five–inch heels and shrugged, "It comes with practice."

"But why do you wear them? They look so uncomfortable!" He exclaimed. "You can't tell me you actually _like_ walking in those monsters, do you?"

"I can't go looking like a midget compared to you, can I?" She teased.

"You're not that short." Darien replied, as they stopped outside a stone wall with a large garage door set into it. He pressed a button and the garage door slowly slid up, revealing the same room Serena had been in earlier that day.

Serena was unsure whether that was a compliment or a statement, so she remained quiet.

"Right, which car?" Darien asked her.

She looked startled, "You want me to choose?"

He nodded and she surveyed the cars. What would look sleek and sophisticated yet wild enough for eighteen year olds?

"Jaguar," She said finally.

"Good choice." He grinned. They neared the car and Darien threw her the keys which she barely caught.

"What…?" She began as she keys dangled from her fingers.

He opened the passenger seat and smirked, "I want to see you drive in those shoes."

* * *

Well, her driving wasn't terrible. But the way Darien instructed her, it felt like she was learning to drive.

"Red light – stop!"

"I know, I know!" Serena said, agitated.

Darien shook his head, "I've never met such a pretty girl with such terrible driving skills."

Serena ignored the compliment and focused on the insult, "Well, it's hard to accelerate and brake properly with these shoes!" She said defensively.

"Ah… told you!"

"We never actually bet on that, so would you please keep shut for a few minutes?" Serena snapped finally, exasperated beyond measure.

Darien was so amazed at her waspish answer that he forgot to give her instructions for some time. Finally, he found his voice and said quickly, "Stop, we're here. Who knew you were such a grouch when driving." He added, glancing at her to see if there was a reaction.

Serena ignored him, found a spot and parallel parked.

"At least your parallel parking isn't that bad." He grumbled.

Serena smiled innocently at him and followed him to a disco that was painted a poisonous green. There was a short line at the entrance, given it was pretty early in the night.

"Could I see your ID, ma'am?" One of the hulking guards said when they reached the door.

Serena flashed him her driving license. Darien did the same and they made their way inside the building.

The inside was a dark red with music thumping. Serena could feel the vibrations in the floor. There were spotlights on which girls (and some guys) were dancing and everything had an ethereal glow to it. Despite the hour, the club was already jammed with people. It was like walking through treacle.

"Come on." Darien yelled over the music, "I'll introduce you to my friends. I told them to come over too."

He took her hand again and she followed him to the other side of the room. There were a number of tables here and a bar in the far corner. One of the tables had a number of people sitting.

Darien led her there and greeted his friends. Then he pushed her forward and introduced her to everyone.

"Hey, guys, this is Serena, from Canada."

They all said hello.

"That's Matt, and Nick." Darien said.

Matt was tall and incredibly handsome with straight, dark brown hair that lay in a similar fashion to Darien's. His hazel eyes surveyed her with interest.

Nick was black, with a buzz cut and dark, piercing eyes. He seemed to be the one with the most sense in the group and the person who sort of held them together. His eyes held an intelligence that was obvious to any onlooker.

"This is Amari, and that is Zannia."

To Serena, Amari looked absolutely gorgeous. She even looked a little Indian with her brown skin and dark hair, except for her eyes. Her eyes were a solemn violet that looked slightly disconcerting with such dark skin.

Zannia was the opposite. She was tall, and slim, like Amari, but her features were more… girlish. She had large, almond shaped, dark-brown eyes, a cute button nose and full lips. Her hair was fiery red and fell in sleek lines onto her shoulders.

"Serena?" Amari said. Her voice was a little throaty, "That's such a nice name!"

"Come, on, sit here. You don't want to sit there." Zannia waved in the general direction on the guys.

Serena was suddenly aware how high her voice was and tried to lower it substantially.

"Thanks." She replied, feeling a little stupid with her 'low' voice.

"So, Canada, huh?" Amari said.

"Yeah," Serena answered in her normal voice, "To take an entrance exam to Oxford."

Zannia whistled, "I wish I had time or I'd love to take the exam. It'd be a nice change."

Serena started laughing. "I've never heard anyone _want_ to take exams before."

Amari gave a dry laugh, "Trust me, it'd be a nice change."

"I love your shoes, by the way." Zannia added, eyeing Serena's feet.

"Tell that to Darien. He lectured me the whole way here." Serena rolled her eyes, "Made me drive here just to prove his point. It was hell, trust me."

Amari's eyes lit up, "Darien, huh? How do you know him?"

Serena shrugged, "Old family friends."

"Like me." Zannia piped up, "Our families have known each other for _ages_."

Serena looked interested, "Before or after they moved to France?"

"Actually, _in_ France." Zannia laughed, "It was at school. I accidentally pushed him into the pool when we were around five years old. Poor thing didn't know how to swim, being only five. Neither did I, for that matter, but I jumped in anyway. I was trying to be ultra heroic, but ended up getting weighed down by my clothes. In the end a teacher had to get us out."

They all laughed and Serena got more comfortable with them. They were really nice.

"So, it turned out that his mother knew my mother through university and they were best friends who had lost touch." Zannia concluded.

Serena nodded, "Mine was the other way around."

"What?" Amari asked.

"Our fathers knew each other. Our families were friends even before we were born." Serena shrugged and turned to Amari, "What about you?"

"She dated him." Zannia spoke up.

"Dated?" Serena repeated.

"Yeah, I dated him for a while." she looked over and said, "Excuse me a second, I'm going to get another drink."

She left the table in the direction of the bar and Zannia turned to Serena, "They keep denying it, but they made the best couple. I swear there were at least a dozen magazines and tabloids who reported their movements every week. I'd reckon at least three of those tabloids ran only on news of Darien and Amari."

Serena followed Amari with her eyes, "So why do they deny it?"

Zannia shrugged, "God knows, but they're still good friends, although I feel Amari hasn't quite gotten over him yet."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. But don't mention it to her." Zannia said hastily, "She'll go ballistic."

Serena laughed. Amari returned and asked them what was so funny.

"Nothing, nothing." Zannia said hastily, "I just told Serena about the time Matt tried to make a move on that girl Cielle from the agency… remember?"

Amari laughed and Serena did as well, unsure of what to do. She made a mental note to ask Zannia what had happened. She looked at Zannia and happened to look over her shoulder at the table where the guys sat.

Darien caught her eye and motioned for the three girls to come over. Serena told Amari and Zannia this and they hopped off their stools and made their way to the other table.

"You beckoned?" Amari asked, a smirk on her face.

"Oh, hi." Matt said looking surprised to see them. He hadn't noticed the exchange between Darien and Serena.

"Do you guys want to leave or dance?" Darien asked, "We can have dinner somewhere."

"Let's go dance." Amari suggested. When none of them responded, she grabbed the first hand she could see, which happened to be Darien's and pulled him to the dance floor.

Zannia and Serena looked at each other in surprise. It was too good to be a coincidence. Nick followed, but Matt remained, his eyes on Serena.

"Do you really want to dance?" Zannia asked her. She shook her head and they sat down with Matt.

"Aren't you dancing?" Zannia asked him.

He shook his head, "Nah… too much effort."

Zannia laughed, "You sound like Darien."

"What?" Matt said in mock outrage, "You dare to compare me to that constipated baboon?"

Serena grinned, making another mental note to call Darien that later.

"I, Matt Towers, shall _never_ live it down." He declared.

Serena took in a breath sharply, "You're Matt _Towers_?" She asked, "Heir to the Grand Towers hotel chain?"

"Don't forget model and spokesperson for Lacoste." Zannia added.

Matt laughed, "Thanks, Zannia, you make me sound so modest." He turned to Serena, "What she says is true. And you're right, I _am_ the heir. How do you know, though? I wasn't aware that they were publishing stuff about me… I must talk to my agent…"

"Uh, no, it's not like that. I know your name because my father merged one of his hotels with Ronald Towers. I wondered if there was a connection." Serena said quickly.

Matt raised his eyebrows, "Your name's Serena, right? What's your last name?"

"Tsukino."

Matt looked surprised at that, "Seriously? Then what're you doing studying for Oxford?"

Serena looked a little sheepish, "I'm the youngest of three. So unless they both kick the bucket, it's up to me to make a name for myself." _That_ and her dad had told all three of them that unless they did something useful with their lives, they would be cut out of his will.

Zannia asked, "Are your siblings as motivated as you?"

Serena shrugged, "My sister's at Harvard, in her second year for Marine Biology. My brother went to Cambridge for business."

"Wow." Zannia said, amazed.

Amari came up to them at that point with a puzzled expression on her face, "Why aren't you guys dancing?"

"We'll come soon," Zannia said quickly.

"No, you're coming now. Come _on_!" She pulled Serena's hand, forcing her to her feet. Serena looked at Zannia who shrugged and got up.

"Might as well come along," Zannia told Matt. He nodded and followed her.

It was very easy to get lost in the crowd as Serena found out a few minutes later. She couldn't see anybody. Suddenly, Zannia was beside her, "Having fun?"

Serena grinned and nodded. Zannia put her mouth to Serena's ear so that she'd hear well.

"Have you seen Amari?"

Serena shook her head, "No! I kinda lost sight of everyone."

"Well, I'm here!" Zannia yelled. Serena nodded happily.

A few songs later, during a slow song, Serena sat down, thoroughly exhausted.

"Having fun?"

Serena looked up to see Darien standing beside her. She replied, "Oh yeah, I'm just taking a small break. Zannia and Amari are awesome, by the way." She added.

He smiled, "I'll tell them that." Darien looked out at the crowd of couples slow dancing and turned back to Serena, "Hey, I was wondering: do you want to d–"

"Darien! There you are!"

It was Amari.

"Oh, hey, Amari," They both replied together.

"Come on, let's dance!" Amari said, grabbing Darien's hand and pulling him up. She turned to Serena and added, "You don't mind, do you?"

"Oh, er, no; not at all." Serena said hastily, "Go ahead."

"That was a stupid question," Amari said laughing, but only loud enough for Serena to hear, "After all, why would you care– you're not dating him, right?"

Serena laughed weakly as Amari pulled Darien away and put her arms around him. That was true – she shouldn't have cared.

So why _did_ she?

* * *

**Yes? No? Maybe?  
Leave a review and let me know! :D**

**Thanks for reading. Farvel, mine venner!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! Sorry for the delay, again!! it won't happen again... (I hope). BUT, here is chapter 07. Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or the characters associated with the franchise. I do however, own the plot of this story and the additional characters. **

**

* * *

**

Falling Head over Heels

Chapter 7

Serena woke with a start, her head pounding with paragraphs on medicine she had been reading for the past two weeks. She glanced at her laptop and books and groaned. She had (stupidly) decided to try and get some studying done after returning from the club at 1:00 a.m. It came as no surprise, then, that she fell asleep after the first paragraph of her medical text. She hadn't even bothered to change or take the bed sheets off.

Serena entered the bathroom and brushed her teeth in a decidedly resigned way. Slowly, she made her way to the shower. She sighed: she had danced almost non–stop the night before, and as a result, her entire body was aching. Amari and Zannia had almost forced her to dance. Thinking of Amari sent a twinge of annoyance through Serena. Amari had spent almost the entire night solely with Darien and vice versa. After Amari pulled him away, Serena didn't see him until they were ready to leave (and she was ready to sit on the club's floor and sleep). She was irritated by the fact that Amari didn't let anyone else even speak to him (she had whisked him away somewhere) and by the fact that Darien didn't even try to ask her to dance again.

She remembered that Amari and Darien had been dating. Zannia had told her that Amari still liked Darien. Maybe the feeling was mutual? Serena thought back to when Darien had kissed her. It hadn't felt like he was interested in someone at the time. She realized Amari and Darien had probably kissed many times while they had been dating, and scowled.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she suspected it was the latter that bothered her more, but she refused to acknowledge it.

Therefore, it was a thoroughly irritated Serena who opened the bathroom door.

And screamed.

Darien dropped one of her books in shock and his head snapped up in surprise.

Serena merely gaped at him, unable to find the words to question him.

"Er… hi?" He said tentatively, seeming to sense something was wrong.

"_What_ are you doing? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" She exclaimed, clutching her chest in a slightly exaggerated manner.

"Looking for you," He explained.

"Looking for me," She repeated faintly, "In my _room_?"

"Well, yeah." Darien said unconcernedly, "I mean you weren't at the table so I thought I'd find you here."

"So you just waltz in and start going through my stuff? Ever heard of _knocking_?" Serena snapped. She shook her head in disbelief, still rooted to her spot right outside the bathroom door.

"I knocked, but nobody answered, so I… well, I came in. And give me a break– they're just _books_."

"I'm convinced." Serena said as she sat down on her bed.

"Convinced of what?"

"That you're insane."

"What?" Darien sat beside her, his eyes clouded with confusion.

Serena turned to him and locked eyes with his, "Why do you do these stupid things?"

Darien stared blankly at her.

"Like the first time we met. You very nearly _assaulted_ me!" Serena cried. She had no idea why she had mentioned that. True, it had been weighing on her mind lately, but why would she mention it to _Darien_ of all people? Before she could contemplate it any further, he responded and she realized she was going to have to play this through.

"Look that _was_ a mistake." Darien growled. He couldn't believe she was bringing that up again.

"Yeah, but that didn't get any apology out of you, did it?" Serena got up and moved to her cluttered desk. Once her back was to Darien, she winced. That was the only thing she could think of to explain the sudden mention of the subject. She cursed herself inwardly for being so idiotic as to bring the subject up.

"What are you talking about?" He said angrily, "I apologized right after!"

"If you _call_ that an apology," Serena muttered, trying to sound convincing. Darien walked up to her, his eyebrows drawn together, and his eyes stormy with anger.

"You accepted the apology, didn't you?"

"That was no apology after how you _kissed_-"

"It's not the apology that's bothering you." Darien said abruptly, "It's the kiss, isn't it?" he continued in a softer tone.

"No!" Serena said, genuinely surprised. At the mention of it, though, she realised she was torn between anger and guilt over the kiss: anger at what Darien had done and guilt at the fact that she had liked it.

"It is." Darien said quietly.

"No it isn't." Serena insisted, "Trust me, that was the _last_ thing-"

"Why don't you just admit it, Serena?" Darien said loudly, overriding her statement. He moved closer and Serena's breath caught in her throat. Her back was cutting into the desk painfully, but she was unaware of it.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Serena replied honestly, "But I do think it's really strange that you'd go around kissing random girls.

Darien stared into her eyes. A more emotional girl would have quailed beneath the stare and have burst into tears. But Serena stood her ground and gazed stonily back.

Then he did the unthinkable: he kissed her. Despite everything she had said or felt up until now to indicate irritation towards him, Serena closed her eyes and kissed him back.

Darien pulled away abruptly and regarded her haughtily for a second and then said, "I suggest _you_ sort out your feelings because it sure didn't _feel_ like you were angry." Smirking, he left.

Serena stared. She touched her lips uncertainly and then a thought popped into her head, so random and so completely ridiculous that she nearly laughed out loud at the mere suggestion:

There was no way she was falling for Darien… was she?

* * *

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Leave a review and let me know! :**

**Thanks for reading! Adeus, meus amigos. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey! Once again, thanks for ALL the reviews! I really like the feedback! After a long delay, I know, I present to you, insert trumpet fanfare, chapter 8!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters. I do own the plot of this story and any additioal characters.  
ENJOY!**

* * *

**Falling Head over Heels  
Chapter 08**

"And remember that trip to Dover beach?"

"Oh, yeah! That was brilliant."

"What did you do?" Serena asked curiously.

"We went on a trip, all six of us, to this decrepit old mansion that belongs to some batty aunt of mine." Zannia announced, "It was _so_ much fun because it was right on a private beach, owned by my family. So basically we were the only ones there… oh, there were the butlers and all that too."

"That's so cool," Serena said slightly enviously, "The only time I've ever been alone is when I went to camp in grade six." They all laughed at that.

All seven of them were in the Williams' den, getting ready to watch a movie: The House of Wax. Darien was attempting to extract the DVD from the cover without much progress. The rest of them were chattering.

Zannia had come across a photo album and was going through it with much zeal. She and Serena were sitting in the corner, looking through them and occasionally, somebody would add in a sentence or two.

"That's when Nick dunked Amari." Zannia was explaining, pointing to a picture of the beautiful girl with a shocked, angry expression on her face as rivulets of water ran down her face. A doubled up figure was standing beside her, evidently laughing.

Nick turned around to face the two from where he was sitting on the floor. "The look on her face was priceless!" He exclaimed with a large grin plastered on his face. A little way away, Amari threw a cushion at him. It caught him in the face and a small cushion battle ensued.

"And this is Amari and this is me… on the last day there."

Serena couldn't help noticing, yet again, that both of them looked like supermodels with their sultry looks and perfect beach bodies.

"Are you sure you aren't supermodels or something?" Serena joked. Zannia simply chuckled and handed Serena another picture of Amari sitting in what looked like a wicker swing with a high back. Her hair was sort of curly this time and was pushed back by the wind. She looked like she was posing for Vogue.

"Um… can I just say: whoa!" Serena said finally.

"We had hired a photographer for the day and he insisted on taking countless pictures of Amari." Zannia explained, "Not that she minded, of course."

They both giggled and continued to flip through the pictures, leaving Serena wondering whether or not the whole group were models. Sure, the photographer had been a professional, but there was no way anyone could pose like that without experience.

"Well, we _finally_ got the DVD out." Matt yelled triumphantly, "Who knew plastic coverings could be so damn hellish?"

"Okay, we can start now…Matt, give me the remote… no! Not that one!" Darien went to take the remote out from his friend's hands.

"Why? What does it do?"

"No! Matt! Not that one-"

His words died in his throat as they all plunged into utter darkness. Serena and Zannia squealed and moved closer together.

"Matt! Give Darien the bloody remote!" Nick yelled, trying to walk over, "Oops," he added a few seconds later, "Someone's going to be eating squashed popcorn."

"I'd give it to him if I could _see_ him!" Matt shouted back.

"It's your own fault, you know." Nick said calmly and then added, "Amari, I don't want to loose circulation in that arm…"

Amari had followed him as he began walking, clutching his arm in fear.

"Oh, right. Sorry." She said sheepishly.

"Aha! Gotcha, Matt!" Nick exclaimed finally.

"No you haven't…" Matt replied, a note of confusion in his voice.

"You've got _me_ you idiot!" Darien said loudly.

Then, suddenly, the lights came back on to reveal the most hilarious sight Serena had ever seen. Nick and Darien were sprawled on the floor, Nick having tackled Darien in the dark, thinking he was Matt, who was standing at the opposite end of the room, frozen mid dance, the remote dangling in his hand. Amari was gaping at the three of them, hands hanging at her sides. Zannia had dropped the photo album, scattering pictures everywhere.

Then Serena broke the silence with a loud giggle. That soon turned into a chuckle and pretty soon she was laughing so hard, it hurt to stand. Zannia grinned and began laughing as well. Soon both she and Serena were holding onto each other to keep from falling.

"You… guys… are such… idiots…" Zannia gasped between breaths. Everybody looked at a loss for words: they just gazed at Serena and Zannia helplessly.

It was Matt who stood up suddenly and said abruptly, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's watch the movie."

That just made the duo laugh harder as they considered the sentence after what had happened.

A grin was unfurling across Amari's face and her voice shook with suppressed laughter, "What are you laughing at? Oh, stop, you're making _me_ laugh…"

Darien snatched up the correct remote and said icily to Zannia and Serena, "I'm sorry, but I _fail_ to see the humour of the situation."

"Oh, you do, do you?" Serena said equally coldly.

The two had been considerably icy toward each other since the… incident, as Serena liked to call it. Well, it was Darien who was being weird anyway; she just saw no need in being nice to him if he wasn't nice to her. Beside her, Zannia collapsed into another set of giggles which set her off as well.

"I guess we'd better stop laughing then." Zannia commented, her mouth twitching as she spoke, "Or else fear the wrath of Darien!"

"True…" Serena agreed, "Okay, sorry. Let's just watch the movie."

They all looked on disbelievingly and Zannia said, "Really! We're not going to be laughing while watching the movie."

"Yeah, definitely not!"

They all grouped together at the couch and Serena and Zannia went about picking up the photos hurriedly. They were nearly all in, when Serena came across a picture of the whole group with their arms around each other, coming out from the sea. Some of them were looking at the camera, others were laughing together or looking the other way. It was larger than the others and in black and white. It made Serena smile to see them all laughing and having fun with each other.

Behind it was another one that made Serena's eyebrows shoot up in surprise:

Darien and Amari, together. It appeared to have been taken on the same day as the rest of the pictures. Darien was leaning against an outcropping of grey rock, his arms around Amari. Their faces were angled towards each other in a way that left no doubt in the viewer's mind as to what they had been doing.

Looking at it made Serena feel guilty, like she was intruding upon a private moment - which it clearly was. But the picture caused a lump to form in her throat so that it was difficult to swallow.

"Done?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." Serena said in a strangled whisper, the image frozen in her brain. She handed the album to Zannia

"Okay, it's starting!" Matt called a few minutes later. Serena looked over at the couch to see Amari on one end, Darien beside her, and the next two seats empty. Zannia and Nick were lying on the ground. Matt was hunting for the remote.

Serena made her way to the couch and sat at the end, as far away from Darien as possible. Looking at him brought the image back before her eyes. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the disoriented feeling that had enveloped her when she noticed the picture.

"Aha! Found the blighter." Matt exclaimed as he walked back to the couch, a triumphant look on his face. He sat down and pressed the _play_ button. Immediately, the screen went black and the opening music to the movie began playing.

Someone turned the lights off and everybody settled down as the movie began.

Forty five minutes later, Serena was feeling considerably scared. It had taken her a while to forget the picture, but then again, it wasn't so hard to do so while watching a scary movie. She shivered and when the scene came when the evil guy cut off the girl's finger, she accidentally clutched Matt's shirt in fear.

He looked at her in surprise and she felt herself blushing at her completely idiocy.

"Oh my goodness, sorry!" She whispered.

"It's all right." He replied, grinning.

Serena kept her hands to herself for the rest of the movie, but she couldn't help glancing at him from time to time. She took in his profile and thought, not for the first time, how very like Darien he was. His hair even fell in the same way: into his eyes and curling past his ears. But who cared about Darien anyway? He was a jerk; Matt... wasn't. That was one _big_ difference.

At one such time, Matt saw her looking and she knew it was too late to look away. Her mind went blank with the shock of being caught and as a result, when he asked, "Having fun?", she was so surprised, she nearly didn't answer.

"Erm, yeah." She said finally, "It's a bit creepy though." And she smiled shyly.

"Don't worry, I've got you." He whispered, a heroic look on his face, and then grinned. Serena felt her breath catch and her heart beat faster.

Later, when she scooted a little closer out of fear, Matt didn't say anything and she felt a relieved smile on her face. A thought occurred to her that caused her to pause momentarily.

Was she falling for Matt, too?

* * *

**Yes? No? Maybe?  
Comments? Suggestions? Questions?****  
REVIEW!**

**Thanks for reading! Namaskar, mere dost!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I'm back! Sorry for the extremely unfair and long delay. Unfortunately, school and homework have kept me tied for this past month. But, I managed to get the time to write some more. Not much going on in this chapter, I'm afraid, just some filler stuff. **

**Enjoy anyway! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. Nor do I own the Harry Potter quote mentioned in this chapter. **

* * *

**Falling head over Heels  
**Chapter 09

Over the course of the next two weeks, as much as Serena would have liked to reflect on her rocky relationship with Darien and newfound friendship with Matt, she was unable to do so. Her exams were nearly upon her and the days seemed to be an endless cycle of reading texts and taking notes and memorising.

The Williams family learned to keep away from her during this period as they found she had a tendency to become extremely snappy. For her part, Serena enjoyed the peace and quiet.

In a matter of no time, however, she found that it was the day of the exam. She got a ride to the examination hall with Nathan who persuaded Darien to come along as well.

"Well, this is it." Nathan said as they pulled up to the front of the hall.

Serena looked at him and simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She suddenly felt a wave of nausea rise up.

"Good luck." Nathan said, "You'll do fine. The exam's a lot easier than you think."

Serena nodded again, this time forcing a smile onto her face.

In the back seat, Darien looked out of the window sulkily.

"Darien may not say it, but he wishes you luck too." Nathan said with a reassuring nod.

Serena nodded a third time and got out of the car. She didn't have the heart to tell him that at that moment she didn't give a hang if the prime minister wished her luck. She just wanted to get her exam over with! Serena took a deep breath and, with only the slightest hesitance in her step, pushed the doors open and entered the hall.

"So? How'd it go?" Nathan asked, smiling nervously as Serena came out of the examination hall. She joined him and Darien on the steps and they made their way to the car.

At his question, her face relaxed into a smile.

"You were right, Nathan! I had been hyping the exam up for so long that it really seemed easier than I imagined! I knew, like, everything!" Serena said ecstatically.

"So there were some things you didn't know?"

"I mean, there was one question on the hypothalamus that I don't think I did justice to, but otherwise it was perfect," Serena said politely.

It had been this way for over two weeks now. Serena and Darien had stopped fighting outright and started talking again, but they were very formal with each other. If Nathan had noticed anything, he kept his mouth shut. As it was, Mr. and Mrs. Williams only saw the three at meals, so they didn't really have a clue as to what was happening.

Reflecting on this, Serena saw why Ms Williams' opinion of Darien was that of a nine-year-old and a cute puppy. Ms Williams rarely ever saw Darien and when she did, he was on his own, acting perfectly normal. If she knew he went around kissing strange girls…

"That's good." Darien replied in a fake, honeyed voice that fooled nobody. They reached the car and Serena got into the front with Darien driving and Nathan at the back.

"That's not good, that's GREAT!" Nathan said enthusiastically. Serena turned an amused face to him.

"You're really excited, aren't you?"

"Yeah! It's not everyday that somebody gets to share my success!" He said proudly.

Darien concealed a snort behind a well placed sneeze. Serena was about to give him a snappy retort when Nathan spoke up:

"You know what we should do?"

"What?" Darien and Serena said together.

"Throw a party." Nathan told them.

"WHAT?" Serena and Darien chorused.

"Serena, he must have a lot of faith in you to do that." Darien said, all iciness forgotten. His face was a mix of shock and amusement.

Serena turned to face Nathan, "Are you insane?" She asked.

"Not as far as I know, why?"

"Your mom's never going to agree!" She said.

"Ah, I didn't tell you, did I?" Nathan grinned, "Mum and Dad are going to Taiwan for the weekend. There's some meeting there."

Serena stared at him.

"So, we can hold the party then!" Nathan said excitedly.

"Is this the same Nathaniel who used to yell at me for going out to night clubs?" Darien said incredulously. Then he glanced at Serena, "He must have a lot of faith in you. This is completely not like him."

Even Serena seemed pretty bewildered. She kept saying, "But Nathan…"

Nathan just shushed her and said, "It actually goes deeper than that. I started dating a girl, Whitney, recently and it's her birthday on Saturday. I thought I'd surprise her."

"Aw, Nathan," Serena cried, "That's so thoughtful!"

Nathan smiled and Serena studiously ignored the retching noises coming from Darien. Finally, she said, quite nastily, "Just because you've got the emotional depth of a teaspoon, Darien, doesn't mean we all have."

Score for Harry Potter.

Darien said indignantly, "I have _not_ got the emotional depth of a teaspoon… my heart is as sensitive as… as…"

"A liver?" Nathan suggested.

Darien looked at him weirdly and continued, "As a liver."

Serena opened her mouth to say something, but Darien went on talking:

"And to _prove_ it, I'll ask Amari to go with me." He glanced furtively at Serena, but her face was impassive; impossible to read.

"I'll bet she'll be happy." Serena said slightly bitterly.

"I may even ask her out again…" Darien trailed off, definitely glancing at her expression now.

There was silence. Then:

"That's nice."

Inside, Serena was furious. She knew Darien was doing it to spite her and that brought along another nasty thought: _Did he know?_ No, she kept telling herself, how could he? He was just doing it because he knew it would enable him to get beneath her skin.

Nathan was looking between them closely but said nothing. Darien turned into the driveway and parked the car on the side. They all got out and Darien strode ahead, mumbling something about making a phone call. Nathan and Serena tagged behind.

The moment his brother was out of earshot, Nathan turned to Serena and asked directly, "What's up?"

Serena was puzzled, "What?"

"What's wrong, I mean."

"I don't understand…" Serena stopped and looked at him, thoroughly bewildered.

"Did something happen between you and Darien?" Nathan asked flatly.

"I don't…"

"Don't try to say you don't know what I'm talking about." He interrupted, "I'm _not_ blind, you know. I've been noticing it for quite some time now. Your attitude toward each other is distinctly icy."

Serena lost her temper, "That's because he's a stupid jerk!" She blurted out.

Nathan raised an eyebrow, "What?"

And the whole story came tumbling out, from start to finish. The only thing Serena hid from him was the two kisses. So she made it seem like he had said something to her and hadn't apologized and that was why she was angry. By the time she was done, Serena was feeling frustrated on top of angry and that didn't help. She looked almost helplessly at Nathan, "I don't get it."

Nathan was smiling for some reason and Serena nearly snapped at him too. The _last_ thing she felt like doing was laughing.

"What?"

"Serena," He said soothingly, "Don't take what he said seriously. He probably didn't mean any of what he said. He's just trying to show you that he's also human and he can make mistakes as well."

"I don't know…" Serena said, "He seemed pretty forceful."

"Give him a chance, Serena." Nathan said gently, "You both need to learn how to adjust to one another."

Serena smiled weakly, "Are you sure you want to be a GP rather than a psychiatrist?"

He smiled, "Just… consider it."

Serena grinned, feeling better.

"So… just… how is it that North Americans put it?" Nathan searched for the right phrase, "Oh, yeah. Just chill out. Loosen up around him and his friends. And for heaven's sake, be civil."

Serena nodded and as Nathan turned to go, she said, "Thanks, Nathan. You've been a big help."

"You're welcome." He smiled warmly and then sauntered back into her house, whistling a tune.

Serena sighed and decided that it would be in her best interests to just go and act contrite toward Darien. She had to be the mature one. For the majority of the afternoon and well into the evening, Serena thought about the pros and cons of apologizing. Finally, she decided to say sorry because she wanted to prove that she was the mature, responsible one… and it would just make things a whole lot easier for her.

Serena was still doubtful, mostly of her feelings, but she forced herself not to dwell on the facts. She reminded herself to apologize to Darien, even if _he_ wasn't going to take the initiative to do so.

And so, she did the impossible.

**Yes? No? Maybe?  
See any changes that you think I could make?  
Message or review and let me know! :)  
Cheers,  
s.p**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for the long, long delay. I just about managed to make enough time to write this chapter. Think of it as a very late New Year's present. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sailor Moon or it's associated characters. **

**Enjoy!**

**Falling Head over Heels  
Chapter 10**

Serena stood outside the door, nervously preparing her opening remarks and the body that followed, as well as the perfect conclusion.

She had it all laid out, ready to say. She paced outside the door, trying to calm her nerves. Heck she hadn't been this nervous for her exam! In addition to her nervousness was the distinct feeling of indignation which came when she realized she was going to apologize to him. Especially since she hadn't done anything to him… not really, anyway.

Still, saying sorry never hurt anyone. And a person who's ego depended on the word was truly shallow indeed.

_Now, just knock, apologize and then get out._ She instructed herself, _Don't let him get to you._

Gathering up her courage, she knocked on the door. Her knocks were soft and tentative at first, but gathered force as it went along. Then she waited. She waited for so long that she was beginning to think there wasn't anybody there, and she had just raised her hand to knock again; just to make sure; and the door opened.

Despite whatever Serena told herself, Darien had this effect on people. At the sight of her, he folded his arms and leaned against the doorway, looking at her expectantly. Although his attitude clearly said: go away, Serena felt her heart rate increase slightly.

"Yes?"

"Erm," Serena said uncertainly as she snatched her hand back to her side, "C-can I c-come in?"

His eyes were guarded as he let her in. Serena entered the room, thoroughly confused and very, very nervous. The room was quite neat and shaped and accessorized almost exactly like Serena's. The usual clutter occupied his desk and his bed was neatly made with an iPod carelessly thrown onto it.

"Um, right." She said finally, and spun around to look at him.

"Yes?"

"Well…" Serena searched for the fantastic opening sentence she had come up with, but her mind drew a blank. Throwing caution to the winds, she said, "Look, I'm sorry for the way I've been acting."

Darien remained silent. All he did was push some of his bangs out of his eyes.

"And, um," Serena looked down, feeling it would be easier if she didn't have to see the smirk that would undoubtedly spread across his face, "And I'm sorry for what I said that day in… my room. Your… your apology was perfectly acceptable."

Nothing happened so Serena looked up slowly. Darien said coldly, "Finally realized it, have you?"

_Be the bigger person… be the bigger person…_ Serena said to herself so that she wouldn't snap.

Instead, she put on an apologetic smile and said sombrely, "Yes, _but_," she added quickly before he could speak, "I also think you owe me an apology for the way you've been treating me the past weeks."

"What?"

"Yes. It's hardly fair that I apologize for everything and you get off, is it?"

He stared at her incredulously so that Serena felt a spark of anger flare within her. Finally, she said:

"Look, let's just try to get through the summer without being at each others' throats day and night. Let's just call it a truce."

Darien sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Okay, whatever. Sorry. For… for everything, I guess." He finished with a shrug. "It's a truce."

Serena smiled hesitantly, "Then we're back on talking terms?"

"Yeah, we're back on talking terms." Darien said wearily.

_Thank god._ Serena said, relieved. She had a sneaking suspicion that he had agreed to be on talking terms simply to make his life easier, like she had.

She turned to go.

"Wait, Serena!" Darien called.

She paused at the doorway and looked back, "Yeah?"

"Since we're back on talking terms and all, want to help me plan the party?"

"I thought Nathan was planning it."

"Yeah, well, Nathan knows as much about throwing parties as a baboon's backside, so there's not much hope there." Darien replied, grinning, "So if I want to save any shred of my reputation, I'm going to have to plan it."

Serena wasn't convinced. She was sure this would turn into a yelling match sooner or later.

"Well…"

"It's not like you're actually busy anyway." Darien pointed out.

Serena finally relented, "Fine. It _will_ give me something to do."

She made her way to the chair and couch along the fireplace and sank into one of them. Wearily, she rubbed her eyes, cursing all things medicinal. When she opened them, she saw Darien sitting before her, gazing at her.

"Right, who're we calling? We need to get everything right. You're going with Amari." Serena managed to keep a neutral face, "So you'd better call her and tell her. And I'll call the others."

"Erm… I'll tell you what. I'll call all my friends and Nathan will no doubt call his. You can take over the um, decorations or something."

"Darien, I did not sign up for this just to be saddled with _decorations_!" Serena said furiously.

"I'll help you, of course." Darien said dismissively. "And just go ask Toulouse for stuff with which to decorate."

Serena looked dubious, but then relented, "Fine. I'll go see to it now." She walked to the door and looked back, "But be there at 9 sharp in the morning, okay?"

He was listening to his iPod. Rolling her eyes, Serena left.

* * *

The next morning found Serena in a pair of short shorts and a gray tank top, busy telling the servants where to put the decorations. She had decided to set lava lamps around the room to provide the lighting. And of course there were going to be streamers and balloons.

"Okay, this goes here. No… a little to the left… perfect. Toulouse! I'll do that… here… take the other end of the streamer… no actually, wait, go help Martha with the balloons."

Serena climbed the ladder and set to work taping up the streamers.

Damn, the spot where she wanted to tape the streamer was just out of reach. Leaning forward, and standing on her tiptoes, she reached towards it. Her fingertips were almost there…

"BOO!"

Serena screamed in surprise and nearly fell off the ladder. Grabbing hold of the top, she stayed still, taking deep breaths. Once she had regained her balance, she glared down at Darien.

"Darien are you trying to kill me?" She snapped.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," He said hastily, "It was just an excellent opportunity."

Serena got off the ladder, "Yeah, well, next time try it when I'm _not_ ten feet up in the air."

Darien surveyed the room appreciatively, "Looks very nice."

"Thanks. By the way, did you notice and _I_ did all the decorations?" Serena added.

He looked at her blankly. She sighed impatiently and pushed a stray strand of hair off her face.

"Darien, you told me you were going to help me! I asked you to come down at 9 o' clock!" Serena glanced down at her watch, "It is now 10:30 a.m."

"Well, Amari called me!" He said defensively, "And she likes to talk a lot!"

Oh, yeah, Amari.

Suddenly, Serena's mood was considerably dampened. Bending down, she picked up the streamer she had dropped. While they had been talking, the other end had fallen off as well.

"Well, whatever. You're here now, so you can help me out. I just want you to hold this streamer here while I tape it. The stupid thing keeps falling off. I'm going to need to use masking tape soon."

So Darien climbed one way up the ladder and Serena the opposite. With Darien holding the streamer in place, Serena taped the steamer to the wall.

"There!" Serena said triumphantly. "We just have to stick up about twenty more and then we'll be–"

"I asked Amari out again."

"Eh?" Serena blinked.

"This morning – I asked her out." Darien informed her. He was watching her closely – something she was well aware of.

"That's – that's awesome, Darien!" Serena said enthusiastically.

_No it's not._ She thought, _But why do I care so much?_

"Amari was really happy too."

"I guess–"

Serena was interrupted by Darien's cell phone which was ringing. He stepped off the ladder and took the call.

Serena looked at the streamer in her hands, wondering where the feeling of jealousy was coming from. She didn't even like Darien. He was rude, obnoxious, arrogant…

"Hey, Serena," Darien began, "You know, I'd really love to help you out, but I've got to go meet Amari." He grinned, "We just got back together, I can't refuse."

Serena nodded mechanically, "Yeah, sure, go."

"Really?" He frowned.

"Yeah."

"Okay, then, later."

Serena stared after him, sighing. Well, Amari could have him. It was only fair. Amari had liked him for a long time. Just like Darien had liked Amari. She was doing a good deed.

So why did she still feel miserable?

* * *

"ISN'T THIS AWESOME?"

"OF COURSE!"

Serena grinned at Amari who tossed her hair over her shoulders in a haughty way. Amari had dyed her hair completely black and it made her look more beautiful than ever. She was dressed in a sparkly black dress that she had bought while shopping with Darien earlier that day.

Speaking of which, Serena had decided to stop obsessing over Amari and Darien. Amari was her friend and so was Darien. Yes, Darien was just a friend – nothing more, nothing less. She had to move past them, or she'd be akin to the archetypal lonely girl – the ones who were always shown in the movies, who liked a guy who didn't have the slightest clue and liked somebody else.

At that moment, somebody cranked the volume up even louder. Serena could feel the base thumping, shaking her to the bones. She could've sworn her brain moved too.

Just then, Matt came up to them, "HEY!" He yelled over the pumping music. Serena and Amari nodded to show they had heard. He moved closer to Amari and yelled, "Zannia's looking for you."

Amari nodded and, flashing a smile at Serena, left. Matt was yelling something over the music, but Serena didn't hear him.

Serena wanted to go out somewhere; her head was beginning to hurt from all the music thumping. She could feel the vibrations in her bones and it made her teeth shake to their roots. Before she could say anything, however, a couple of people came up to them, insisting on talking.

Serena sighed. This was going to take a while.

* * *

At the other end of the living room, Darien spotted Zannia and Amari talking in low tones. He made his way over to them, "Hey." He said easily.

"Hey," Amari said, her eyes lighting up. She kissed him lightly.

"Have either of you seen Serena?" Darien asked, wrapping an arm around Amari's waist, "Nathan wants her to meet his friend who's also doing medicine."

"I saw her over there, dancing." Zannia informed him. She waved her hand in the other direction.

"Ah… thanks."

* * *

"Can we go outside?" Serena yelled into Matt's ear. Her head was really pounding and it did _not_ feel nice.

Matt nodded and he led her outside, carefully dodging a couple of people who's only intent was to slop coke on him. He waved away a gaggle of girls who came simpering after him.

Finally, he lost his temper, "If you keep following me, I _will_ sue you!" The girl (whom Serena thought was fairly pretty), looked scandalized and she left.

Serena smiled at the girl who shot her a look of pure venom and left. Matt led her outside and Serena stood on the doorstep for a second, taking in huge gulps of air.

"Oh, that feels so good!" Serena said as she inhaled the cool, fresh air.

"I know," Matt agreed, "The music was getting to me too."

The night was still and many lamps threw a muted glow around the garden. Crickets chirped all over the place, quite content with themselves. The air was full of sweet smelling flowers that threw their fragrance everywhere. They walked to a swing-bench and sat down, swinging gently.

"It's so peaceful out here." Serena commented.

"That's 'cause all the trouble-making hooligans are inside."

Serena laughed and Matt did with her. Finally, she looked up at the sky and smiled. Matt looked up as well and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"The stars," Serena whispered, "They're so lovely. I never thought they'd be so clear."

"Yeah, they are… oh, there's the Little Dipper…. No, wait… or is that the big Dipper…" Matt frowned, trying to figure out the formations. "I always confuse myself…"

Serena giggled, "I think it's the Little Dipper… you can see Polaris there and – oh, I can't see through that tree."

"Come on, let's go onto the grass." Matt said taking her hand and leading her away from the swing set and onto the grass where they could see the formations clearly.

They walked past the tree and Serena noticed he still hadn't left her hand. She didn't either.

Matt lay down on the dewy grass, looking up at her in an amused way. She was still standing, wondering whether she wanted to go through with the whole ordeal.

"I'm not going to bite, you know." Matt joked. He held both his hands up in a sign of truce.

Smiling, Serena lay down on the grass beside him. Together, they gazed up at the heavens. Thousands of stars winked back at them, almost invisible in the light of the full moon.

"Oh, there's Orion… see that weird shaped rectangle?" Matt pointed it out to her, "There's a legend about that. That he was chasing the seven nymphs of the forest and he was doomed to all eternity to chase them and catch them. That's why you can see the Seven Sisters there and…"

Serena turned her face and gazed at him. There was a soft breeze and it blew some of his hair onto his face and into his eyes.

Serena smiled to herself and turned to brush it off. She did and she surprised herself when she realized her hand rested on his cheek. He stopped talking to look at her intently. Suddenly, she had the incredible urge to kiss him. She blushed at her thoughts and was secretly glad it was very dark.

Nevertheless, she leaned in . She nearly gasped when she felt his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. There were mere centimetres that separated them now. Matt leaned forward and kissed her. Serena smiled inwardly. Who cared about Darien anyway?

* * *

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	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! Okay, so this one is pretty short, but the next chapter will be out really soon so it's all good. And thanks to EVERYONE who reviews and adds this story to their favourite list! I really appreciate it! :) Oh, and check out my profile for information on when I'll be updating the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Falling Head over Heels  
***Chapter 11*

**Recap:  
**_...there were mere centimetres that separated them now. Matt leaned forward and kissed her. Serena smiled inwardly. Who cared about Darien anyway?..._

_

* * *

_"Oh. My. God."

Serena and Matt whipped around quickly and saw Amari standing near the swing, gaping at them. She had her hand over her mouth but she was obviously grinning broadly.

"Amari!" Serena exclaimed, standing up hastily, "What are you doing here?"

"Darien was looking for you, but that's not important," Amari said impatiently, "The real question is: what were _you_ two doing here? A secret rendezvous you've been keeping from others, huh?"

"Look, Amari, it–" Matt began, but the dark-haired girl cut him off.

"Serena and Matt, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" She sang happily. "Oh, you two make _such_ a cute couple!"

By now, Serena and Matt had gotten to their feet and they regarded Amari in alarm. They glanced at each other worriedly. Amari noticed and said:

"Oh, please, if you two want to carry on, go ahead! Don't let _me_ stop you." Amari turned to go.

Serena knew they had to stop her. Amari wasn't exactly known for her secretive personality. By the time she reached the party, she was more than likely to have added juicier bits of gossip to make it more interesting. God knows what reputation would be attached to Serena if word got out.

You had to admit: it didn't sound very good. Sneaking off during an unsupervised party to make out with a guy? No. Definitely not good.

"Amari, look, we weren't doing anything–" Serena began but was interrupted.

Amari smirked, "Sure, and that's why you were snogging, right?"

They weren't sure how to respond to that. Serena glanced at him again, panicked. Who knew what was going to happen if Amari took it into her head to let everyone know?

"Oh, right…" Amari winked in a conspirational manner and said in a stage whisper, as if she had read Serena's thoughts, "Don't worry, I won't tell anybody." And she skipped off into the night.

Matt and Serena looked at each other in anxiety. Each knew what would happen: there was no way Amari was going to keep this information in her stomach! Sooner or later, everybody else would find out. And when they did, the story was going to be much more distorted!

"Ah…" Matt said hesitantly, "We have a slight problem."

"Ya think?"

* * *

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Tell me your thoughts!**

**The next chapter will be up really soon.  
Thanks for reading mes amis!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey, guys! Here's chapter 12 like I promised. Oh, and someone pointed out that it takes three to four days to get to Kuala Lampur so it would be physically impossible for Nathan and Darien's mom to be away for only two days. Thanks! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.**

**ENJOY! :)**

* * *

**Falling Head over Heels  
***Chapter 12*

Serena looked after Amari, wondering what to do. As much as she tried, her mind drew a large blank.

"Well, now what?" Matt asked, glancing at her.

Serena shrugged, "I honestly don't know what to do. I mean, if we don't tell the others, Amari will, eventually. And who're they going to want to hear it from, Amari or us directly?"

Matt chewed on that for a while and sat back down on the grass. Serena did so as well, placing a hand under her chin as she tried to think what the right thing would be to do.

Serena sighed softly. She had kissed Matt. She should've been ecstatic about it. Except she wasn't. She knew that she had kissed him partly because she liked him and partly because she wanted to determine whether she was over Darien. As hard as she tried, she couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt that was eating at her now.

"Serena?"

"Hm?" She replied distractedly.

"Do you want to go out with me?" Matt asked.

Serena snapped out of her thoughts and stared at him almost in amazement. Where had _that_ come from?

"You're, uh, asking me out." She stated as if to assure herself that was what he had asked.

Matt chuckled, "Yeah, I am."

"Um…" Serena blushed. She knew she shouldn't be taking so much time over this decision. It was a simple enough question. But she wasn't sure whether she could do it. She had only just gotten over Darien.

"I guess the answer is no." Matt supplied glumly, looking at the grass.

"No!" Serena said hastily and then continued, "I mean I'm not sure I'm ready to date right now." She paused and glanced at the grass before looking up again, "Let's just be friends for now."

Matt smiled, "It's a start."

Serena didn't feel like smiling but she did anyway. "But what're we going to do about Amari?"

Matt regarded her thoughtfully before speaking, "Let sleeping dogs lie."

"So we do nothing?" Serena asked incredulously.

"Look, Amari's sure to stick to her word for a while. And it's not as though we're dating or anything." He shrugged, "What they don't know won't hurt them."

Serena was dubious about his proposition but acquiesced in the end. He had a point. There was really no point in aggravating things by spilling the beans. And it had just been a simple kiss anyway.

Or so Serena told herself.

* * *

Her guilty conscience didn't let her sleep that night. She tossed and turned, her dreams interspersed with images of Matt and Amari. As a result, when she awoke in the morning, she felt groggy and heavy-headed. She groaned as a bright ray of sunshine fell directly into her eyes, nearly blinding her. She slumped back amongst her pillows and sighed.

Her mind wandered back to what Matt had said. As logical as it was, she still felt she should tell the others.

"I just got through with my exam… and now I have _this_ to deal with…" Serena sighed.

It took a lot of effort but she managed to get herself out of bed and into the bathroom to brush her teeth. After she was done with her bath, she dragged herself downstairs although she was reluctant to face anyone. She didn't think she could resist the temptation of spilling the beans. Nevertheless, she walked into the breakfast room and sat down in front of a stack of toast. There was nobody else in the room.

"Oh, hey, Serena," Darien said as he sat down beside her. He set a pitcher of orange juice down on the table. He had emerged from a back door that connected to the kitchen.

"Ah, Darien! I didn't see you back there." Serena replied by way of greeting. "Where's Nathan?" Serena peered behind her to see whether he was there as well.

"He went out." Darien replied, grabbing a slice of toast and spreading butter on it. "So, how was the party last night?"

"Um, it was er, eventful." Serena managed.

"Where exactly _were_ you? I never saw you once!"

"I was with the others." Serena said hastily, "How about you?"

Darien shrugged, "It was like any normal party." He glanced around the table and cursed, "Damn! Matilda _never_ brings out the marmalade."

He got up and proceeded through the connecting door. Serena rested an elbow on the table picking at her toast. Suddenly, a weird techno beat started playing. Serena looked around, confused, for the source of the noise. She finally realized that it was Darien's cell phone.

"Could you get that? Just tell whoever's calling that I'll call back." Darien called from the kitchen.

Serena reached out for the cell phone. The screen was lit up and said: David Bitton. Serena had never heard of this friend, but she slid the phone open and answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Daphne from David Bitton's office. Is Darien there?"

"Um, no. He's busy at the moment but is there a message I can take?" Serena asked.

"Please inform him that the shoot schedules have been arranged." Daphne said pleasantly.

Shoot? What was a shoot? Darien entered the room at that moment carrying a jar of marmalade.

"I'll pass that message on and I'll tell him to call you back. You said you were Daphne from David Bitton's o–" Serena never got to finish the sentence because Darien blanched and snatched the phone out of her hand.

"Hey, what was that?" Serena asked furiously but Darien was ignoring her.

"Hey, it's Darien." He listened intently and then simply said, "Sure, thanks, bye."

When he sat down again, Serena scowled at him. He looked at her innocently.

"Is there a problem?"

"Yes! Why'd you snatch that phone out of my hand? What's a shoot? And who's David Bitton?" Serena demanded.

"It's nothing you need to worry about." Darien said dismissively. He noticed her glare and insisted, "Really. It's nothing."

Serena sat back and regarded him suspiciously. He was hiding something, for sure. But what?

* * *

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	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Falling Head over Heels  
***Chapter 13*

Serena managed to stay away from the gang for the next two weeks, saying she had a lot of unpacking and shopping to do. In reality, she spent that time reading, surfing the net or listening to her iPod.

Almost exactly at the end of the fourteen days, as she was lounging on her bed in a summer dress and listening to a song with her eyes closed.

Suddenly, the door to her room opened and Darien entered, looking slightly impatient. Serena emitted a small shriek and sat up quickly, covering her legs with her dress.

"Get that thing out of your head, I have something important to tell you," He said by way of greeting. "And hurry up, too, I have an important appointment in twenty minutes – I don't want to be late."

"What are you doing here?" Serena exclaimed, "What if I hadn't been dressed?"

Darien grinned, "That's okay: it's nothing I haven't seen before!"

"Darien Williams, have you no shame?" Serena cried.

"Not that I know of," He replied cheekily, "Why?"

"You don't just _enter_ a girl's room like this!"

"Why not?"

Serena gaped at him, "What do you mean 'why not'?"

"I meant what I said."

"Well the first reason is that it's a _girl's_ room and you don't just barge into _girls'_ rooms!"

"Your point?" Darien asked, looking around.

"UGH! You're _impossible_!"

Serena picked up the nearest set of clothes on the ground and threw them at him with all the force she could muster. It would have been effective had one of the items in question not been a flowery yellow and pink bra. The clothes, which consisted of three shirts, a pair of shorts and said bra, hit him squarely on the head and rested there.

Darien brushed all the clothes off in a decidedly bored manner until he picked her bra off his shoulder. Dangling it on his forefinger, he grinned at his gaze flicked from it to Serena who was gradually turning pink.

"Why, Serena, is this an invitation?" Darien teased.

"Of course not!" Serena said squeakily. She paused while adjusting her voice and cleared her throat, "I mean, no that it _not_ an invitation and nor will you ever be on the receiving end of one."

She glanced at the bra uncomfortably before returning her gaze to Darien who looked cool and aloof.

"Okay, now will you give it back to me?" Serena asked through clenched teeth.

His grin widened, "Nah… I think I'll keep it."

Serena's eyes widened and she yelled, "DARIEN, GIVE MY FLIPPIN' BRA BACK TO ME!"

At that moment, Zannia entered the room. She surveyed the scene before her and her mouth dropped open. She took in Darien with a bra and Serena who looked decidedly embarrassed.

"Erm… is this a wrong time?" She asked, though she couldn't keep the grin from unfurling across her face.

"Not at all, come on in," Darien said pleasantly as though they were simply discussing the weather.

"Uh, are you _sure_?"

"Yeah," Darien replied at the same time as Serena said, "No way!"

"What's so wrong with the time?" Darien asked.

"Darien, you're holding Serena's bra…" Zannia trailed off, truly smiling now. "I think that constitutes a _bad time_."

"Hey, I didn't take it! She _threw_ it at me!" Darien said defensively. He smirked and winked at Zannia before turning to Serena and saying, "Who knew you wanted me so badly?"

"Hell will freeze over before I begin _wanting_ you!" Serena retorted, her exasperation getting the better of her.

Now grinning wickedly, Darien leaned in and took in Serena's sweet, fresh perfume before whispering in her ear, "Those poor sinners must be freezing their arses off, then…" He dumped her bra on her head gracefully and glanced at his watch.

"Well, ladies, it's been wonderful, but I really must run. David Bitton awaits," He said.

Zannia's eyes widened and she glanced quickly over to Serena who was busy stuffing her bra into her closet and therefore, not paying attention.

He walked to the door casually and said, "Bye, Zan," before disappearing down the corridor.

"Erm… yeah… bye," Zannia replied. She looked at Serena and for a while, they simply looked at each other.

Serena was trying to decide the best way to explain the situation while Zannia was trying to figure out how to avoid an explanation. Both girls looked slightly embarrassed, although Serena had good cause to feel so.

"So… er… getting a little frisky, are we?" Zannia joked.

Serena groaned in despair, "Oh, not you as well! I've been annoyed enough by _that_ idiot."

"Darien's just having fun," Zannia said, laughing.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Serena admitted, "As long as it isn't at _my_ expense."

"So, uh… mind explaining to me how this transpired?"

Serena giggled and related the story to her. When she was done, she asked, "What did you drop by for?"

"Er… it was actually something Amari told me…"

Serena immediately thought of the time at the party when Amari had seen Matt kissing her and stiffened. _Oh no, don't tell me she told Zannia about what happened! She promised that she wouldn't!_

"Oh, um… what did she tell you?" Serena said, surprisingly calm.

Zannia glanced at Serena and then looked away, "She said something about a fashion show downtown… do you want to come? I think we're all going to be going."

Serena breathed a sigh of relief and nodded enthusiastically, "That would be awesome. I've never been to a fashion show before."

"There's a first time for everything, right?"

"I had a friend who attended fashion shows regularly. She told me that they were kinda boring." Serena informed Zannia.

For some reason, Zannia smirked devilishly and replied, "Oh, I don't think you'll find this show even remotely boring."

* * *

Two days later found Serena parking in a parking lot outside an elegant looking building. She got out of the car and looked at herself nervously. She had no idea what to wear to a fashion show, so she had decided on a simple baby-doll dress and blue pumps.

Serena smoothed out her dress and walked toward the entrance nervously. As she walked, she slipped a laminated card on a chain around her neck. It said:

_Versace Fall Collection  
__Backstage Pass_

She approached the huge front doors but was stopped by a huge bouncer. He crossed his arms and stopped her from entering.

"Ma'am, you can't go in through here."

"What?"

"This entrance is closed."

"But… I have a backstage pass!"

The bouncer simply shook his head and fell silent. Serena tried explaining her situation to him, but he took no heed of her pleas.

"Ma'am, if you do not go, you will be forcibly removed from the premises." The bouncer said loudly over her protests.

"I'm not going until I get to speak to some person in management!" Serena cried angrily.

"Okay, mates. Let's go." The bouncer nodded toward Serena and her eyes opened wide when she saw the three huge men coming for her.

"Er- that won't be necessary." Serena said hastily.

"I thought so."

Finally, angry and huffed, Serena stalked away in the direction of her car. As she rounded the corner, she saw a small green door open and close. Emerging from it were three women who were wearing outrageously small dresses and looked rather emaciated.

At once, Serena knew that they were models. Quickly and quietly, she followed them. Even as she watched, more models came out of the small door. She crept closer to it until she was standing beside it. When it opened again, she held it open for the models and slipped inside.

At once, she was hit by the noise and the level of activity that permeated every pore of the room. There were people everywhere: putting on makeup, trying on clothes, getting ready for the catwalk or smoothing out last-minute mishaps. It was rather dim in the room, the place lit by muted orange lamps and extremely hot. There were hundreds of people rushing around, looking harassed and hassled.

Serena looked around for Amari or Zannia but found none of them in the room. Then again, with all the models, it was virtually impossible to tell them apart from the other women.

As she stood in the centre of the room with people rushing around her, she was aware that many people were noticing her entrance. One man sporting a fantastic faux-hawk and a tape measure around his neck came up to her.

"Ah, you're finally here. The agency took long enough to get a model here." He regarded her figure critically, "Hm… slightly more curvy than I called for… definitely heavier… how much do you weigh?"

Serena told him her weightanxiously, wondering what on Earth he was getting at.

"Hm… I wonder…"

He looked back over a rack to his left and sorted through a bunch of clothes. In this time, Serena looked around, interested to find male models in the room as well. For a second, she saw a flash of dark shaggy hair and immediately, her eyes widened.

Was that who she thought it was?

"Dar–" She began, but was interrupted by the man pulling her over to a brightly lit section of the changing room.

"Hey, what are you…" She stopped suddenly as she took in her surroundings. It was a changing room, as he had mentioned before, and it was full of mirrors. Literally, fully of mirrors!

"Here…" He waited for her name.

"Oh, I'm Serena."

"Right, Sabrina. Okay, take this dress and put it on." He handed a bunch of things to her and bustled out of the place. She tried to call to him, but a group of models hushed her, glowering at her.

Serena looked around, lost. Slowly, she made her way to the change room and let herself in. Then, she turned and found herself in a stall that was completely surrounded by mirrors.

_What is up with these people and mirrors? _

She sighed and looked at the items in her hand. What was earth was she going to do? Well… there was only one thing to do, really.

Ten minutes later, Serena had squeezed herself into a white flowing, strapless Versace gown and white peep-toe pumps. Her hair looked distinctly dishevelled and she was struggling to fit a white belt around her waist. Finally giving up, she walked out of the room.

A lady at the end of the change room noticed her belt and called her over.

"Why are you not wearing that?"

"Well… it doesn't fit me." Serena replied.

"Nonsense, it will fit." She took the belt from her and placed it just under her bosom to give her a sort of empire waist look. She pulled it tight and buckled it.

Serena gasped as she felt the belt squeeze her lungs. "Are you… crazy w-woman?" She wheezed, "I can't b-breathe!" She was sure she heard a rib crack as well.

The lady simply shook her head dismissively, "It will be okay. Now go to the hairdressers."

Serena could barely walk in her shoes. Sure, she had worn heels before, but these were nearly nine inch heels! _Who_ could walk in these monstrosities? Somehow, she reached the hairdressers and somebody pulled her over immediately.

Five minutes later, her hair had been puffed and curled to resemble waves. The hairdresser gave her a thumbs-up sign and then called the makeup artist over. The makeup artist, whose name she read was Tammy, took her previous makeup off. Then, she smothered her in new makeup, giving her a sultry, smoky look. Serena could barely see her own eyes through all the black eyeliner and pencil liner surrounding her eyes. Although, she had to admit that it had a very dramatic effect that looked quite nice on her.

When she was done, Serena got up, suddenly seeing black before her. She held onto the chair and steadied herself, trying to breathe deeply and trying _not_ to pass out. She looked around, unsure about what to do next. A harried looking man spotted her and rushed toward her.

"What's your name?"

"Serena," She answered.

"Okay, Sabrina, get in line. You're on next."

"Wait… I'm _Serena_ not Sabrina… and what do you mean…?"

But the man had already gone. Serena went and stood behind a line of models that were busy talking to each other and checking their hair out in small compact mirrors. On the other side, male models were lined up. Many failed to wear shirts.

Serena saw the harried looking man again and she slipped out of line to talk to him. She approached him and tapped him on his shoulder. He turned and frowned at her.

"Aren't you supposed to be in line, Selena?"

"It's Sabri- I mean, my name is Serena."

"Well, _Serena_, you're spot has already been taken." The man looked over his clipboard, "Please, just go line up. If you don't, you'll ruin everything."

"Look… sir, I'm… sorry."

"Just go line up."

Serena nodded, feeling very small. She looked at the entrance to the runway again and sighed. There were two models there and even as she watched, one of them slipped into the catwalk.

Before she knew it, it was her turn to go on. She closed her eyes, barely able to breathe due to the awful belt. There was some talk going on upon the PA system or something.

"And now, the finest fall creations of Versace…"

Serena happened to look up and gasped in shock.

"Darien?" She said in a strangled whisper.

* * *

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	14. Chapter 14

**ANNOUCEMENT: Hey guys! As usual, thank you to EVERYONE who reads, comments, rates, etc. I've been extremely busy, what with work and all, so this chapter is really short. I apologise in advance for any grammatical errors - I didn't have time to edit it. Also, I won't be posting another chapter (chapter 15) until around the end of June. I've got an insanely busy schedule until then.**

**Anyway, ENJOY!  
:)**

* * *

**Falling Head over Heels  
***Chapter 14*

"And now, the finest fall creations of Versace…"

Serena paused and suddenly felt hands push her out onto the runway. Immediately, the lights blinded her. There were camera flashes as well as spotlights trained on her. Upbeat techno music began playing. Beside her, she felt, rather than saw, somebody.

She looked up and gasped in shock.

"Darien?" She said in a strangled whisper.

Instead of sharing her look of astonishment and surprise, he simply grinned and began strutting down the runway. Serena noticed that and immediately began moving forward, albeit awkwardly. The bright lights were blinding her and the hundreds of camera flashes did nothing to help. On top of that, she was wearing flimsy skyscrapers on her feet that provided no iota of grip on the slippery runway.

Beside her, but a little ahead of her, Darien frowned. Serena was clearly having trouble walking. She had her hands flat against her sides to balance her body evenly. At this rate, she'd be the laughingstock of London! Not to mention she's be in a truckload of trouble with the Versace organizers...

He glanced down at her, and, taking pity on her, grabbed her hand. Serena suddenly had a support to lean on and spread her weight more evenly over. Serena smiled gratefully, following Darien's lead and hoping nobody would mind that they were breaking the rules a bit. They reached the end, posed, and walked back into the changerooms behind the runway.

She didn't let go of his hand once.

* * *

Message me and let me know what you think!!

Until June :)

Yes? No? Maybe? 


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: SORRY for the long wait! I'm terrible, I know. It's been a long and hectic year. Now, thankfully, with more free time to myself, I can concentrate on my stories once more. ENJOY!**

**Disclaimer: the usual - I don't own Sailor Moon or the characters. I do, however, own the plot.**

* * *

**Falling Head Over Heels  
**Chapter 15

"And now, the finest fall creations of Versace…"

Serena paused and suddenly felt hands push her out onto the runway. Immediately, the lights blinded her. There were camera flashes as well as spotlights trained on her. She could hear somebody yelling in the distance, "SMILE WITH YOUR EYES!". _The Way I Are_ by _Timbaland_ began playing. Beside her, she felt, rather than saw, somebody.

She looked up and gasped in shock.

"Darien?" She said in a strangled whisper.

He looked down at her, equally surprised, "Serena? What the hell are you doing here?"

Serena shrugged imperceptibly, "Search me…"

"Both of you _move_ now!" Somebody whispered harshly.

"Oh, right!"

Without thinking, Darien grabbed Serena's hand and pulled her down the runway. Serena's eyes widened as she nearly tripped over her dress in her shoes.

"Look confident." Darien instructed quickly, trying not to move his lips.

Serena tried to put on a confident pout but the shaking in her knees hindered her a tiny bit.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"Well, sorry, Mr Perfect, but it's hard to walk in these shoes, try not to stay blinded _and_ look sexy at once!" Serena hissed, looking straight ahead.

"You don't have to try, Serena. You look sexy already." Darien blurted without thinking.

For a second, her face was blank with shock at the compliment before a smile formed on her face. It was amazing what a little compliment would do – at once, Serena's strut became stronger and her pout came effortlessly now.

Darien smirked inwardly at her reaction although he had to admit, he hadn't really meant to blurt what he did. Not consciously, anyway.

They reached the end of the runway and began walking back. Just before they got to the exit, Serena flashed him a grateful smile and turned to the right while he turned to the left.

* * *

"Serena?" The voice ran out incredulously, "How did you… when… why…"

Serena regarded Amari in amusement as the taller woman's eyes widened in shock. Amari was grinning widely as though unable to believe her eyes. Then she took in Serena's attire.

"Oh my god, Serena – you modeled that dress, didn't you?" Amari practically shrieked.

Serena glanced at Darien who was grinning widely at Amari's behaviour. She nodded happily and Amari squealed in pleasure. Amari hugged Serena hastily and then looked at her as though in a new light.

"Well, how was it?"

"Um… nerve wracking." Serena said honestly. "But the adrenaline rush was amazing." She shifted uncomfortably, her belt still rather tight.

"You did remarkably well for your first time. I've known models to faint under the pressure." Darien said.

"I don't think I had time to be properly terrified." Serena replied, laughing. "When Zannia invited me to the show, I was under the impression that we were going to be _watching_, not actually participating!" Serena explained.

"Well, Matt and Nick are in the audience." Darien said, "Didn't you notice?"

"No, I…" Serena stopped suddenly. She just realized something! _This_ had been Darien's secret! He was a model!

She gazed Darien, smiling gleefully. He looked at her in bewilderment, wondering what on earth she was grinning for. Even Amari was looking at her strangely.

"_That's your secret!_" She burst out, unable to contain it inside her.

Darien looked sheepish but he covered it quickly and said, "What?"

"You're a model! Ha, I found out your secret! I told you I'd find out, remember?" Serena told him, "I told you I would when you came to my room!"

"You went to her room?" Amari asked, crossing her arms.

Darien nodded curtly, "Well, it doesn't count since it was an accident."

"Then yours doesn't count either since you _made_ me tell you I like you." Serena declared.

"Wait, what?" Amari said, narrowing her eyes at the two of them.

"Well, it was only because I was tickling her." Darien explained quickly and turned back to Serena, "And you didn't _have_ to! You could have pushed me off!"

"You were _on top_ of her?" Amari said loudly.

Serena, Darien and half a dozen others gaped at her. Of course, it didn't help matters that there were also reporters in the room who were furiously scribbling on their pads. Through the semi-silence, there was a sudden peal of laughter and everything went back to normal, although there were still a few curious looks thrown their way.

"What the hell were you two doing?" Amari said, lowering her voice.

"He was tickling me, of course!" Serena replied, "And I was trying to get him off me."

Amari turned to Darien, "You were doing _what_ to her?"

"Um…Amari…"

"You were in her _room_, _tickling_ her, and _on top of her_?" Amari said, electricity crackling in her light eyes.

"Amari…I…" Darien looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Wow… it sounds really bad when you put it like that…" Serena commented.

"I know it does, and–"

"Serena! Oh, my God, you were amazing out there!" Zannia exclaimed, walking up to the trio. She hugged Serena.

"Zannia, you're here!" Both Serena and Darien exclaimed in delight and relief. Amari was beginning to scare both of them.

"Amari, come here for a second, would you?" Somebody called. Amari threw a withering look at a relatively bewildered Darien before flouncing off.

Zannia looked after her friend but didn't pursue the subject. Instead, she said, "So, I have a proposition."

Serena and Darien looked at her expectantly.

"What would you say to a relaxing stay at Cumbria over the weekend?"

"I say: brilliant!" Darien replied, smiling, "It's been a while."

Zannia looked at Serena, "And you?"

Serena shrugged, "I don't mind either."

"Excellent! I'll tell the others." Zannia said happily. Then, glancing around, she asked, "What was happening here with Amari?"

"Oh, um…" Serena began, unsure of what to say.

"Amari's gone mental." Darien replied, rolling his eyes.

Zannia raised an eyebrow, "And you're going to let her be angry at you while we're on vacation? Smart."

Darien blanched, "Ah, right. Let me go find her…"

He left the two girls, looking for Amari to apologise to her. Zannia winked at Serena, "Amari's positively a nightmare to be around when she's sulking."

"That's so mean!" Serena exclaimed, although she couldn't help giggling.

"She's knows it too." Zannia replied, shrugging. She looked after Darien again, "I don't know what Darien did but he'd better rectify his mistake before the weekend."

Serena glanced at Darien who had found Amari and was trying to apologise to her. Amari had her arms crossed and a stony look on her face. It didn't look like Amari was in the mood to forgive Darien any time soon. Serena found, to her mild surprise, that she had no qualms with that either.

* * *

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	16. Chapter 16

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**Falling Head over Heels  
**Chapter 16

Two days later found Serena entering the dining room drowsily.

"Oh, hey Serena," Nathan said brightly when he noticed her pulling up a chair. Darien looked up in interest as well.

Serena mumbled something that sounded like, "Gammon…" The rest of her sentence was lost on the two puzzled boys. Serena moved her plate and bowl and cutlery to the side and rested her head on the hard wooden tabletop.

"Well, well, well," Nathan said while smiling broadly, "It looks like London's newest model has had a rough night."

"Yeah, let's _not_ repeat that modeling stint…" Serena mumbled.

"Why not?" Darien asked, puzzled.

Serena looked up blearily. "Well, because I'm not really cut out for it. It was cool as a one-time thing, but I don't think I'd make a career out of it."

"It's better than you think." Darien replied, "Sure, it may be awkward sometimes and stressful, but you get to travel to different places and you meet some really amazing people too."

Serena shrugged, stifling a yawn, "Maybe."

Darien frowned and Nathan, sensing the subtle change in mood, quickly asked, "Why are you so tired, anyway?"

Serena sighed as she poured orange juice for herself. "Some idiot woman kept calling and asking for Sabrina. Firstly, I don't know how she got my number, and, when I told her that I was _Serena_, she just kept insisting she speak to Sabrina's manager. When I told her that 'Sabrina' didn't have one, she went all hysterical and said that some people named Inez and Vinoodh wanted to do a fashion shoot or something. Apparently this Vinoodh guy has bought a camera worth half a million dollars. It was the middle of the night and I honestly didn't give a flying pickle about cameras. So, I told the lady to tell Vinoodh to shove his precious camera up his-"

"Do you mean Inez Venturi and Vinoodh Matadin?" Darien interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.

"How do I know, Darien?" Serena said impatiently, "All I know it that that moron of a woman kept me up the entire night!"

"Hey, aren't Inez and Vinoodh the chief photographers for-" Nathan began.

"Yeah, they are!" Darien interrupted, turning back to stare at Serena.

"What is going on?" Serena asked with an air of one who has just suffered a great ordeal.

"Inez and Vinoodh are the top photographers for Mango!" Darien exclaimed. Serena looked confused at first, but then realization dawned on her.

"What? No…" She moaned in despair, "Tell me this is all a very, _very_ horrible joke!" She looked at Darien, her large eyes wide and round. "I just told the chief photographer of one of the largest fashion houses in the world to stick a camera up… his…"

Darien was cackling with laughter, "Yeah, yeah you did!"

"That's not very-" Serena stopped suddenly. She reached tentatively into her pocket and withdrew her phone. It was ringing.

"Oh my god," She gasped and almost dropped the phone in her surprise. "It's… her, the woman!"

"Good timing," Nathan commented.

"Answer the phone," Darien urged.

"No way," Serena replied, "After what I said last night? I'm surprised she even _wants _to hear me anymore!"

"You said that you weren't interested in modeling, right?" Darien asked.

Serena nodded, "That's just another reason not to answer!"

Darien smirked, "Let's change that."

Before Serena could react, he snatched her phone and answered the call.

"Hey, Darien, what–"

"Hello… no, I'm not… Darien Williams… ah, I thought so… she was a little busy… really… let me check…" Darien glanced at Serena and said quickly, "Yes, she is… brilliant. Thank you. Goodbye."

"Well?" Nathan asked when Darien put the phone down, "What happened?"

"They forgive her and she's going to a photo shoot at one o' clock."

Serena, who had been drinking orange juice, overheard this last piece of information and gagged on her drink in shock. Darien and Nathan looked at her in concern, both half-rising out of their chairs to help her, but she waved them off.

"Darien, are you completely out of your mind?" She gasped when she had recovered somewhat.

"Not that I know of," he replied.

"Why would you schedule a photo shoot for me after what I told you about modeling? I don't want to do it! And what gives you the right to make these decisions for me, anyway?" Serena said angrily.

"You need more exposure. Runway modeling isn't the only aspect of professional modeling." Darien answered calmly, "You might change your mind."

"But I don't _care_ about it!" Serena argued. "I'm not even any good at it. I'll probably just wreck their photo shoot. Darien, I can't _believe_ you did this!"

Darien stayed silent for a minute. Finally, he sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Serena. You're right – I shouldn't have done that without asking you first."

Serena was a little surprised by his quick apology and her features softened a tiny bit, but she still said, "Call them back and cancel the shoot."

"Well… I can't do that." Darien replied, "It's too last-minute. They won't be able to find a replacement. And besides, they wanted _you_ specifically."

Serena sighed, thinking about Vinoodh and his half-a-million dollar camera. Finally, she said, albeit reluctantly, "Fine, I'll do this. But, if at any point I say I want to stop, everything stops, got it? And remember, I'm never doing this again."

Darien rolled his eyes, "Fine, but I think you'll enjoy it anyway."

Serena shrugged, "We'll see." She got up from the table and left.

When she was out of earshot, Nathan asked, "Why do you want her to do a photo shoot so badly?"

"She needs to see that there's more to modeling than just pouting for the camera. It's hard work and it requires as much skill for a model to succeed as it does for a cardiovascular surgeon to perform an operation successfully." Darien said.

"Are you sure you don't just want her approval?" Nathan asked, smirking.

"What? No!" Darien exclaimed, "I'm not doing this for her approval! I'm doing this for models everywhere."

Nathan continued smirking, "Whatever you say, Darien."

"I'm not!" Darien insisted. He began laughing, "Really, Nathan, where do you come up with these ideas?"

"Yes, where indeed?" Nathan mused, looking down at the newspaper, grinning.

Darien leaned forward, "I'm _not_ looking for Serena's approval for _anything_!"

"I believe you, Darien." Nathan said unconvincingly. "But remember: you said it, not anyone else."

Darien sat back, "Yeah, I did. And it's true. Because I am _not_ seeking her approval. I don't care. Really, I don't." He paused, considering something. Then, he scoffed again and said, "No, of course I don't. The very idea is ludicrous. Really, Nathan, where–"

"Darien?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

* * *

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	17. Chapter 17

**Firstly, thank you to everyone who reviews - I really appreciate the feedback. Also, I am now available as a beta-reader. So, if you're interested, don't hesitate to contact me :)  
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* * *

Falling Head over Heels  
Chapter 17

"I must be absolutely crazy!" Serena moaned as she stared at the monstrous slate and glass building in front of her. There was a weak sun shining through the clouds that reflected off the glass paneling and into her eyes. Directly before her was a large plaque that spelled, in golden letters, the words: MANGO LONDON.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Darien asked, smirking.

Serena scowled, "Considering the circumstances, I'd think it beneficial for you to be nice towards me."

Darien rolled his eyes but remained silent. They entered the building, stated their business to the receptionist and headed towards the elevators. They entered the elevator along with another woman. The woman exited at the twentieth floor and that was when Serena got cold feet. The doors opened to the thirtieth floor and she turned to Darien with a look of concern on her face.

"Darien, I don't think–"

Darien, who had been anticipating her protest, interrupted her, "Oh, just come on. We're here already, aren't we?"

Darien walked out of the elevator and waited for her to follow him. When she didn't, he sighed and re-entered the elevator.

"We went through this, remember?" He said, "What's bothering you?"

Serena hesitated for a second and then said, "I don't know what I'm doing. What if I mess it up completely and make a fool out of myself in front of everyone?"

"That's what the photographer's there for – to direct you and tell you what he wants. And trust me, you won't make a fool of yourself there."

"But what if I do?" Serena said, wringing her hands. "I don't want them to hate me for ruining a shoot." At this point, the elevator had started its descent to the atrium again.

"They won't hate you." Darien said reassuringly.

"But–"

"Look, Serena, I never told anyone this, but I have a feeling this story might come in handy here." Darien said finally.

Serena stopped worrying for a moment, interested in what he had to say. "What is it?"

"I was shooting a spread for Burberry with a couple of other models. I was pretty excited because some of them were really famous." He began.

"Weren't you nervous?"

"Well, a little, but it was my fourth shoot and I was comfortable with posing." Darien explained, "Anyway, in my _enthusiasm_, shall we say, I fell backwards against the backdrop, knocked it off the stand, and gave another model a concussion when the frame fell on her."

Serena gaped at him, "Wow…"

"And, to make matters worse, I was sprawled across the floor in a rather ungainly fashion." Darien concluded, shaking his head at the memory and smiling.

"Wow, that _is_ bad. What did they say?" Serena questioned. The elevator started its ascent to the thirtieth floor again.

"Well, they weren't pleased, but they weren't laughing at me either. I mean, accidents happen and they're all professionals. They're _not_ going to laugh at you at your first shoot." Darien assured her.

The elevator doors opened again. This time, Serena followed Darien after he exited the elevator. Hearing his disastrous story had made her feel marginally better. Seeing the relief in his eyes, Serena rationalized:

"I mean, what's the worst that could happen, right? And you said it: this _is_ my first shoot."

They reached a door that Darien opened. There was a small sitting area where the receptionist ushered them through another door. The room they walked into was medium sized, with an area at one end set aside for the wardrobe and makeup and the main part of the room was reserved for the actual modeling. There was a plain eggshell white background and many lights in front of it.

"Ah, Darien, _there_ you are!" An excited voice called out, "And I see you've brought the lovely Serena as well. Excellent job, mate."

"You're welcome, Inez." Darien said smiling slightly.

Inez was a short man with a bald head and the most intense blue eyes Serena had ever seen.

"Hello, Serena," Inez said, turning to Serena, "Welcome to our studio. Now, if you would just follow Jenna to that room, I would greatly appreciate it."

Serena nodded and followed a pretty blonde to the makeup room slightly nervously. She swallowed hard and entered the room, almost blinded by the rows of bright lights. There was a harried looking woman at the counter setting up.

The lady turned around and Serena recognized her as the same woman, Tammy, who had put makeup on her at the Versace Fashion Show. Apparently, Tammy recognized her as well because she waved her over in a friendly manner.

"So you're Serena, not Sabrina?" She said jovially.

Serena sat down while smiling, "Uh, yeah, they made a small mistake."

Tammy chuckled, "Well, have a seat, Serena."

Serena sat down, eyeing the makeup apprehensively. Tammy noticed her look and commented, "It won't take too long."

Tammy began opening bottles and bags and she continued, "They're shooting a spread for a new range of summer clothing."

"Ah…"

For the next half hour, Tammy continued to make small-talk with Serena while making the latter look absolutely flawless. After makeup, Serena was ushered to the wardrobe section where she donned a simple red strapless gown. She was led to the photography area where the blank canvas was located.

"Ready, Serena?"

She nodded uncertainly, blinking as bright lights came on. Her eyes immediately sought out Darien and she found him watching her. At once she wished she hadn't looked at him. Knowing he was watching made her incredibly nervous.

"Relax… set your mind at ease…"

* * *

Darien, who was standing to a side and watching the shoot, was amazed at how effortless Serena made modelling seem despite the fact that she had been a bundle of nerves barely an hour ago. She had been awkward at first, he admitted, but she got comfortable with the camera very quickly.

There was a sudden flurry of activity as Serena was taken to the wardrobe section for a costume change. In the time being, Darien walked up to Inez.

"How's she doing?"

"Marvellous, my dear fellow – simply marvellous. She's quite talented at this work. In fact, after this shoot, I'd advise her to get an agent." Inez said, nodding his approval. He pointed at the flat screen where Serena's images were being displayed. "I mean, just look at them."

Darien took a closer look and whistled in awe. Serena looked absolutely stunning, of course, but she had the uncanny knack for making the clothes she was modelling stand out as well.

Darien watched her pictures for a while longer, frowning slightly. It was funny – he had never noticed just how pretty Serena really was. He was pleased because he knew Serena would also be happy seeing how well the pictures turned out. Unbidden, Nathan's words came back to him. He still thought the idea was ludicrous because seeking her approval would mean wanting her to like him which would mean that he liked her.

And he didn't.

Not in _that_ way, anyway…

… right?

* * *

"Okay, guys, just a few more shots and then we'll wrap it up!" Inez called from behind his camera, adjusting the lens. "Okay Serena, you have a costume change, I believe. Tammy, I want loose curls – a messy sort of look. Halley and Rick, I want the extra materials put on stage! Franz, I want you to adjust the lighting on the stage…" He bustled off to talk to Franz and the two began discussing lighting options in earnest.

"Okay, I think we'll do the hair first and then get you changed. That should add some more authenticity to the look." Tammy mused.

Serena nodded and sank down into the makeup chair, closing her eyes. She could feel Tammy letting her hair fall loose. Within minutes there were curlers all over her hair. The last two hours had been exhausting. Modelling was definitely hard work.

"Serena?"

Serena opened her eyes and looked up at Tammy.

"You have a wardrobe change now."

Serena followed Tammy to the other side of the dressing room and gasped when she was shown what she had to wear. The thin scrap of material hung from a rack looking remarkably like a dishcloth.

"Am I supposed to wear _that_?" She asked, jaw dropping.

"Uh-huh," Tammy replied, flashing a large smile. "Try it on."

Serena went in reluctantly and pulled at the cloth. It was bright yellow with shots of indigo and green running through it. It was essentially a strapless bikini with the upper and lower halves linked by large metal circles.

Serena stepped out of the small cubicle and was surprised to see Jenna standing with Tammy as well.

Jenna nodded her approval, smiling, "Yeah, that looks smashing. We'll work with it."

After she was gone, Serena grimaced and turned to Tammy, "You call this a swimsuit? It doesn't even cover a _quarter_ of my body!"

Tammy laughed outright at this statement. As she ushered Serena to the shooting area, she whispered, "It isn't supposed to."

Serena laughed at that but was distracted somewhat by what she saw at the foot of the large canvas. Sand had been sprinkled over it artfully. She looked up to see Inez beside her.

She gestured toward the sand, "What's that for?"

"We're supposed to do a beach scene… hence the beach clothes. We'll probably just crop you two onto an image of the beach. The extra sand just helps us."

"Oh, the two of us? Who else is modeling?" Serena asked pleasantly.

"Darien is." Inez replied. "We had another model coming in but he cancelled barely even five minutes ago. Luckily, Darien agreed to do the shoot with you."

Serena gaped at Inez, shock coursing through her body. She didn't know why she was so nervous to model with Darien. She should have been thankful that she was working with somebody she knew rather than some random stranger.

"Okay, places everybody!" Inez yelled from behind the camera once again.

Serena looked up to see Darien standing in front of her, his expression unreadable. He was shirtless and wearing black pants. Seeing him, Serena gulped. Then she looked down at her own state of undress and gulped again.

This was going to be… interesting.

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	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you to anyone who is still reading this! I know I am terribly late but consider it a pre-Christmas present :) I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**

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**

Falling Head Over Heels  
Chapter 18

"Okay, come on, people, let's go!" Inez called, picking up his high-tech camera and adjusting the lens, his brow furrowed.

People continued in their frenzied rush around the studio but Serena simply watched Darien approach her. She wasn't sure whether to be nervous that it was _Darien_ with whom she was modelling or whether to be happy that it wasn't some random stranger. Still, the prospect of messing up in front of _Darien_ was daunting, to say the least. Something about him made her extremely self-conscious. Darien stopped in front of her, smiling slightly.

"We're shooting this together, huh?" Serena said, trying to make her voice light and her tone airy.

He nodded, his smile widening.

"Is that even _legal_?" she said weakly.

"Well, the model who cancelled, whoever it is, is going to be missing out on a pretty amazing opportunity so he'll be kicking himself for this later on." Darien explained, "I mean, this could have been the big break he was looking for, you know? The fashion industry is pretty cutthroat that way. I'm surprised he even _did_ something like this. After all, Inez isn't going to be pleased and what one photographer says passes on to another and..."

During his spiel, Serena had been feeling a growing sense of nervousness and dread. It surprised her because she hadn't felt this nervous when giving her entrance exams to Oxford! She tried to figure out why she was feeling so uneasy. Well, her state of undress (and Darien's) probably had something to do with it, but it shouldn't have bothered her that much after her initial shock. After all, she was perfectly fine with the prospect of modelling with another model. So why would Darien's presence bother her so much? In the end, she put it down to professional nervousness. She was afraid of messing up in front of Darien because she valued his opinion as a seasoned model.

Yes... yes, that was it.

"Serena, are you even listening to me?"

Serena snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at him, blinking, "Um, of course!"

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" He was smirking that infamous smirk of his.

Luckily she was spared a response by Jenna coming up to them and saying, "We're ready for you now."

They nodded and walked towards the area with the backdrop and sand and as they did, Serena felt butterflies erupt in her stomach. At the same time, she knew she had to be calm and collected so she forced her nervousness down, shutting her mind to it. She focused on what was happening at the moment instead of what was going to happen later on.

"Lights!" Inez called and his orders were carried through at once. He turned to his models, "Now I want this to be provocative and sexy. I want to leave the audience with something to consider that makes them come back to my spread. Got it?"

They both nodded; Serena a little more hesitantly than Darien, but Inez was satisfied. Serena continued to concentrate on calming feelings.

Unfortunately for her, all feelings of calm evaporated from her mind the moment Darien touched her. The moment Inez had declared the shoot started, Darien had placed his hand on her lower back, pulling her in closer, towards him. Serena's breath caught in her throat and she struggled to keep her emotions from invading her face.

They went through only a couple of poses before Inez stopped them and walked over.

"I know it's been a long day, Serena, but what I've got so far is only half of what you can do. I need you to ooze sex appeal. I need you to smoulder!"

"It's okay, Inez; I've got this." Darien said reassuringly, holding up a hand.

Inez nodded and walked back to his tripod, muttering to himself. On the way, he went over to check the lighting. Darien turned back to Serena.

"Are you okay?"

Serena nodded, forcing a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired, I guess."

"Well, this is the very last shot, so the sooner we get it done, the sooner we get to go home." Darien pointed out.

"I know that... I'm just a little nervous." Serena admitted finally.

"What? Why?"

"Well, I don't want to let Inez down." Serena said and this was partly true. "I mean, I have no idea how I've done on the other shots and I don't want this to be a complete washout, you know? This is my last shot to impress him."

Darien placed a hand on her shoulder and Serena could feel the warmth radiating from his fingertips. He smiled and said, "Serena, I've taken a look at your other shots and, honestly, they're some of the best I've ever seen. Your poses are fantastic and you look absolutely gorgeous, so you don't have anything to worry about."

Serena's heart lurched at his compliments and she looked up at him, smiling almost shyly.

"Really?"

"Of course! Inez told me so, too! So, just keep doing whatever you've been doing all along and you'll be fine." He concluded, beaming.

Serena had to giggle at his expression. She nodded and said, "Okay, I'll give it my best."

With her new-found determination, Serena got back to the shoot, all thoughts of nervousness pushed away from her mind. She was fearless and awesome in her task. In the end, nobody could have been happier than Inez.

He had found his shot.

* * *

"Matt, are you sure you know where you're going?" Amari asked sceptically as the handsome youth in the driver's seat U-turned out of a dead-end for the third time.

"I know what I'm doing!" Matt scowled and then called to Zannia, who was sitting all the way at the back of the SUV, sprawled out comfortably on the seats, "Hey, Zan, this is the right way, correct?"

"Depends," Zannia replied, examining her nails idly, "You were supposed to take a right at the last set of lights. Did you?"

A look of comprehension dawned on Nick's face, "Er, that would be a negative to the right turn. He took a left."

There was a collective groan as everyone realized it was going to take them an extra amount of time to reach their destination. As it is, they had been in the SUV for the better part of the last two hours and all they wanted to do was stretch their legs. To make things worse, night was falling rapidly and they had to find a dirt-road that led them to Zannia's aunt's beach house and private beach.

"Hang on to your hats; I'll just go back the way I came." Matt said reassuringly.

"Honestly, Matt, what's the use of a GPS if you're too dense to follow it?" Amari said, rolling her eyes. She flipped another page of her magazine. "Who let him drive?"

"I'd like to see _you_ try, Miss I-backed-into-a-Bentley." Matt taunted, although he was grinning. "Remember that, Darien?"

"How could I forget?" Darien sighed, "I had to spend an hour trying to placate the owner."

"Good memories, huh?" Zannia said, smirking.

"The very best."

"Did you manage to calm the owner down?" Serena asked.

"Not a bit. She got her license suspended for a month." Nick replied, laughing.

"There's nothing funny about that," Darien said darkly, "Do you know how many trips we made to Baker Street? It was a nightmare."

Amari whacked him on the shoulder, "Oh, it wasn't that bad. You landed the modelling contract with Prada-"

She broke off suddenly, her voice caught in her throat, staring down at the magazine in front of her. Before anyone could look over, she quickly flipped the magazine shut and stuffed it into the mesh on the seat before her.

"What happened?" Serena asked, leaning forward to look at Amari over Darien, who was sitting in between them.

Amari's gaze snapped over to the blonde and she smiled, "Oh, nothing. I thought I saw someone I knew but I was wrong. What was I saying?"

"You were saying, rather correctly, that I got my contract with Prada only because I was with you on one of your little trips." Darien reminded her, "And for that: thank you."

Amari looked at him intently, "Are you sure about that?"

Darien looked confused, "What?"

Amari shook her head, "Never mind."

Darien turned around to shoot Zannia a perplexed look, one that she wholeheartedly returned. Serena caught this exchange and also saw Zannia mouthing the words, "We'll talk later."

Then, before either of them could catch on, she quickly looked away.

"Aha!" Matt and Nick called triumphantly.

"I found the dirt road!" Matt continued.

There was a collective cheer. What Matt said was true because they could see the sprawling mansion in the near distance. They rolled down the windows, hearing the roar of the waves breaking against the surf and smelling the tangy salty air. In a matter of minutes, they had pulled up into the circular driveway and stopped in front of the brightly lit front door.

They all got out of the car while the butlers took in all their luggage. There was a last-minute collecting of iPods and books as they hauled all the extra stuff into the mansion. Serena, who already had all her things in a small bag, helped out by grabbing a bunch of magazines that had been stuffed into the backs of the seats and marched into the house with the others.

Her first impression of the place was that it was remarkably old and elaborate. They walked right into a huge foyer with an impressively large chandelier. There were two staircases that led to separate wings of the house. To their immediate right was a large room with wood and glass doors and to their left was a long, dark hallway. Before them, the house stretched on, the lack of light causing weird shadows to be thrown on the marble floor.

Serena took it all in but frowned, "Have I seen this place before?"

"Probably," Zannia replied, "My aunt used to let camera crews use the foyer as a set for horror movies."

At the mention of horror movies, Serena shivered despite herself. "Does this place also have a, um, _history_?"

Zannia laughed, "Sadly, it doesn't. It's just an ordinary beach house that was leased out to document the extraordinary."

"Those aren't her words; they were on the promotional brochure." Nick called, winking at Serena.

"Anyway," Zannia continued, rolling her eyes, "We're going to be taking the right staircase. The west wing is still being renovated so it's basically useless. I heard all the bathrooms in the east wing have a jacuzzi in them."

Amari squealed and ran up the stairs, "I call dibs on the private room!"

They all followed her upstairs. The hallway that they entered was long and had a luscious blue carpet that felt like heaven beneath their feet. There were small chandeliers that dotted the ceiling, interspersed with wall fixtures every couple of feet. There were portraits and marble busts that decorated the hallway.

They all chose their own rooms, with Amari and Matt getting rooms with private bathrooms. The others had shared bathrooms.

Serena walked into her room, gaping at the splendour and sheer opulence. She was used to extravagant displays of wealth but this was something else. Her room was very large with an enormous four-poster bed in the centre. There was a large chandelier that hung in the room as well as a fireplace off to the side which was flanked by two large windows that overlooked some part of the beach.

To her left, was a highly embossed door with an ornate handle. She figured it was the bathroom and one quick peek confirmed her theory. Serena set her magazines down on the bed and began walking back to explore the bathroom but the door swung open before she could reach it.

Zannia poked her head out from behind the door, clad only in a towel.

"Hey, I'm gonna take a bath, so the door's going to be locked for a bit. Do you need to use the bathroom or anything?"

Serena shook her head, "Nope, I'll just go in for a shower after you."

"Okay." Zannia disappeared and the door shut with a quiet _snick_ and then Serena heard the _click_ of the lock being turned.

Looking around her room, Serena sat down on the edge of her bed. Doing so caused the magazines to slide off the bed and onto the floor. Serena scooped them up and dumped them into the bed again, making a mental note to return them to Amari, since they were all hers.

Before she could look away, however, an image caught her eye – or, rather, a _logo_. The corner of a page was sticking out of the jumble of magazines and Serena read the words MANGO: LONDON. Wondering whether it could possibly be the photoshoot she had completed earlier, she pulled the magazine out and glanced at the picture. At once, her jaw dropped.

The male model was leaning back, with nothing but a pair of black pants on. There were sand prints on his arms and on his well-defined torso. The female model leaned over him, almost straddling him, with her face dangerously close to his. The way the sand around them was disturbed and the looks they were both shooting the camera – almost guilty and challenging at once – left little doubt as to what they were supposed to have been doing.

Serena had to admit, they had photoshopped the two of them quite liberally, but there was no denying that the models were Darien and Serena.

Well, she knew what had gotten Amari pissed off.

* * *

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I hope you enjoyed it!**


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